Prisoner of Nightmares
by Swordmouse
Summary: (Old) Having noticed all the -worthy- traits Dib possesses, Zim has decided he wants to own him, point blank. However after years of abuse and neglect, Dib is finally falling apart and will need care and attention to just stay sane, while an old threat is growing in his mind. !ZADR!
1. Prelude

**Second fic I've gotten up! Woot!**

**THIS WILL BE ZADR. HATE IT? BE SMART AND HIT THE BACK BUTTON. THANK YOU.**

**Rated T for violence, romance, injury- possibly to the point of really mild gore, mild language, and, uh... Issat it? I dont know**

**-I had NO. FLIPPING. IDEA. How to catagorize this as far as genres went... And maybe this time I'll give my chapters clever little names. X.X would you guys like that?-**

**Yup, well, thanks to all my dedicated readers on 'My Tallest'. I've felt all special and encouraged enough to start something new, plus I got a bit of inspiration from some other fanfics I read.**

**Please review! And feel free to point out errors, offer ideas call attention to certain parts, or just tell me what you thought about something**

**Repeat reviewers make me feel all special cause I know I haven't lost your interest! :3**

**So, withought further ado, I give you another fic of what's probably the most possessive couple fans ever created. XD I think I made Dib too possessive in my story 'My Tallest', Zim's the one who's more like that. Oh well. Hope you're not sick of it.**

**Enjoy!**

**:\\\:**

**:\\\:**

**Well, in my own opinions I'm not too good at starting things/beginnings. Any feelings or notes on this?**

Sharp clip-clops echoed off of harshly sanitized tiles, that looked practically like glassy ivory, the floor reflecting a gently blurred image of the thin, green skinned, red uniformed being marching down the hall.

The metal parts of the black military boots always landed with a proud noise. Their owner was marching through the very center of the halls due to a mixture of a large-ego, and mild OCD, with his chin held high. Disgust seeped through the 'superior being's' attempt at a mask of indifference and disdain.

:\\\:

Everything here was blinding, sheer white.

White could be such a perfect color. It was almost pretty, so un-perverted, so new, fresh, clean, and full-of-potential; worth appreciation- even by the alien conqueror's standards.

But thanks to the human race's interference with ZIM'S battle, and more importantly, HIS property; the interferences that had caused visits to this... HORRIBLE white PLACE; he'd come to hate the color because of the association. White meant straitjackets. White meant padded rooms and therapy, drugs and brainwashing - BRAINWASHING HIS PROPERTY- which meant his own more subtle and sweeter; to the point where they seemed seductive; brainwashing methods, were run right over. Smoosh.

Nothing about these... Scenarios, really directly affected Zim. It was his own choice to even come to this guarded building. It was all his own choice here. Technically, with a certain nemesis out of the way, he should have been happy about it. He could get a lot more work done. Had he still had the un-empathetic, self-oriented ideals he'd first come to this planet with, he would have seen to it that Dib would go into that hospital to never come out! However, because of the way he'd come to think about that little 'primate', who this scenario DID affect, Zim loathed it all.

White meant Dib was dragged screaming by someone other then Zim, and locked away. Locked up where Zim had to ASK to get in and see him. ZIM! Made to ASK to get a chance to see what would- and in his mind already DID- belong to HIM!

Fools! They were STEALING! The one's who claimed it was for the boy's own good were the dumbest yet. They didn't know why he was like this.

If they wanted Dib to get better, they'd leave things as they were. Zim was the only one who could fix him because Zim was the only one who gave a care, who WANTED to fix him, who derived a feeling outlawed among his species, a strange joy, from comforting the boy during his breakdowns.

Surprise and shock in those last few ideas had tortured Zim when it had all started. Yes, Zim had nearly thrown up when he first felt the pain of sympathy and realized what it was.

It had begun not even a full year ago; the fraying of their normal routine. Things had changed as Dib grew older and seemed to soften; and grow more sad and less excitable; and they both got to know each other more.

Also, Zim had been labeled a defective at an irken empirical pak check. As hotly as he denied the very thought, the signs began to make themselves clearer and clearer as his 'condition' progressed. The errors were localized, just one or two things. And it went slowly. But it WAS happening. Parts of his pak were burning out.

Zim wasn't sure when, exactly, his emotional filter had finally snapped.

But it did.

And by chance, after that snapping occurred, Zim happened to find his enemy on a particularly bad day for Dib, in a state that should not have made a normal Irken react at all. Zim reacted. The sight and very fact, that Dib was horribly bruised and beaten to the point where he'd hid in the back of the library, because life had gotten too hard for him to hold back tears now and then... It caused Zim an unknown pain.

Eventually, Zim strayed far enough from their well-trodden path of battle, that he grew a strange understanding, and even respect, of how fragile the boy was. The comforting had started then. Zim kept it to mild things, just sitting near Dib and sharing civil conversations now and then... but... he began to form a plan out of it.

Of course he did. The mighty Zim could not allow any weakness in himself to go unchecked, without purpose, to remain a true 'weakness'.

He had a plan. It was a genius plan.

It would make things so much easier if the boy would just surrender though.

:\\\:

As Dib had grown so did his potential. Zim marveled at him, he really did.

He wanted him.

What did he want him as? His friend? Ally? Pet? Slave? He didn't actually know. In his mind, that didn't matter. If asked he'd probably shout 'EVERYTHING' and burst out laughing like the evil maniac he was.

He simply wanted the right to treat Dib as his, to call Dib his. His own.

Dib was like a young, primitive, dependent Irken, and Zim loved that. For the life of him though, he couldnt figure out why. He just knew it made Dib seem very desirable. He'd only recently come to see it fully, but the realization had been creeping up on him for over a year. When he finally landed on it, the realization, he made up a plan on the spot.

He went over said plan as he stomped through the hallway maze, looking for the door numbered 264.

It was perfect. Dib held such fire! He was strong, and quick, and oh-so-clever, and he aspired and dreamed of such greatness-

-But he had strong needs that his kind had never... And never WOULD, satisfy.

The lack of soothing for what Dib thirsted for was taking a harder toll the older he got and the longer he went without nurturing of his key desire in life;

For just one person to notice, to grow close to him, to care, and to touch him.

He could never remember being held, or any non-painful contact with another human being, aside from the incredibly rare pats on the head from his father. It just wasn't anywhere near enough.

No one would even LISTEN to him. The way he was being raised was inhuman and it was screwing with his head. No one with a need for loving care could last long in his state.

Zim watched the human painfully dying inside and it killed the invader and made him sick to see it.

Dib was a VERY socially dependent earthling, more so then most of his race. He needed attention horribly. He only got it from Zim, and even that wasn't enough, he needed more then an enemy... or... now that they were older... More then a frenemy.

Zim could use this. He could give Dib the care he needed, AND mold him into a magnificent force; not to mention the boy would just make such a lovely little pet. If only the human would surrender. Zim could fix Dib's mind for him! Zim wanted to, why couldn't Dib see that?

Zim would put effort into even making him HAPPY.

He just wanted Dib to be his.

Zim would give the earthling his care, and put Dib in his debt. The boy would become hopelessly addicted to the attention he'd craved so long, and he couldn't possibly fight it for long. Dib would surrender.

Zim would even allow hugs, and soft touches, to coax Dib into his possession.

Oh, how badly Zim wanted to see Dib melt from the superior, sweet caresses of ZIM. An incredibly strange desire for an Irken, but it was strong, and made him smirk deviously.

The invader hated to admit any of this, even to himself. It was forbidden for Irkens to feel fond of another being, especially a non-irken, but Zim was Zim. And Zim did whatever Zim wanted.

The alien kept counting the door numbers as he walked. Curse the endless hallways. Where was door number 264? He huffed, but within minutes was back to thinking and pondering.

:\\\:

It wasn't like the rest of the Irken empire would ever give a crap about his owning Dib and the alien's outlawed feelings. As long as Zim never bothered them again it seemed they'd be good, and their smallest invader had started to pick up on that, despite holding the thoughts down with denial of various kinds.

Added to everything else, Zim just got so incredibly lonely withought the big-headed monkey. He really needed Dib around to be happy.

So, to take care of the loneliness, and keep the boy from completely losing his mind, Zim had come to visit him in the mental hospital.

That was what the extra-terrestrial was doing right now, what all the feelings and everything else had lead up to.

Imbeciles! Locking Dib up here! They only destroyed all Zim's progress on fixing the mud-stink's damaged brain meats, and his plots to hint to Dib that he cared, so the starved-for-good-attention-and-love human smeet would practically beg Zim to make him his.

The scientists and doctors were ruining his plan! They didn't help anything!

If the situation got bad, Zim was going to stop humoring them and take matters into his own hands. This puny establishment couldn't withhold his territory from him. He ground his teeth.

264. There it was. Grinning, Zim gripped the handle, turned it, and slam-kicked the door open, his only thoughts on how grateful Dib would be that Zim came for him to waste his own, superior time, to talk to a lowly human and make the smeet feel better.

A blur of white stumbled backwards with a muffled yelp at the bang of the door. Dib hadn't been expecting anyone. The very idea of comprehension of such... 'sentient' things, was impossible in his current state, as the alien would soon see.

Zim had demanded to visit the 'child'; as he still insisted on calling him, disliking the sound of the word 'teen'; only to be told Dib couldn't have visitors at the moment.

Of course Zim never took 'no' for an answer, and had found the building poorly guarded against Irken invaders such as himself, trained so finding ways to sneak inside was a trivial matter.

Zim's eyes fell on Dib and his eager happiness to see his human turned to surprise, then slowly simmered into anger. Curse those therapists, and anyone else here charged with Dib's care, he was going to murder them...

The boy shook violently, his glasses were gone and Zim could see in his eyes something was horribly wrong. The alien's antenna smelled more fear in Dib's hormonal scent then he could ever remember smelling in ANYTHING.

Dib's coat, the big, black trench coat Dib treasured and almost protected ferociously, was gone, replaced with a straitjacket.

Dib in a straitjacket was normal.

Perhaps not perfectly normal by common standards, but somehow Zim had gotten used to these kinds of things, they only ever irritated him mildly anymore. The icing on the cake, however, the part that drove Zim over the wall, into real anger, not just annoyance, was the gag on the boy. No one but Zim gagged Dib. Ever. Others had done so once or twice, but it made the Irken twitch, and he never failed to step in and do something at that point; especially if Dib failed to get it off himself.

Why was he gagged anyway? Did they just not care this much? Was he screaming to be let out and they just got tired of it and decided to GAG him? Probably.

No one treated his Dib like this! At least, they did, but Zim refused to allow such things.

Oohhhh! Those filthy, wretched...

The way Dib was looking at him, shaking, hardly seeming to recognize him, so full of fear, a whimper scratching in his throat, pupils shrunk, eyes horribly wide, irises darkened, not shiny gold like normal...He was really bad this time.

:\\\:

Zim just stared for a while. He had not expected this and had gone blank, arms at his sides, limply. Large, rather confused indigo-grey contacts stared back at wide, blood-brown eyes. When the alien finally began to think, he didn't even CARE in that moment to find out why Dib was like this. Anger dominated.

Zim refused to humor the dirt monkeys any longer. He would not ALLOW his property to remain under whatever obscene conditions had victimized him here in this stupid 'mental institution'.

A part of Zim was even frightened; of what kinds of things they may have done to his poor Dib. What horrors had they forced on him? The alien was panicked, not really wanting to find out. Chances were, NOTHING had been done to Dib, but even that would be a problem. With nothing to do and no one to talk to, the poor obsessive-compulsive human would practically implode.

For a while the formerly proud, green creature just stood there in the doorway, watching Dib who sat quivering in the plain, white room with padded walls; his cell; staring fearfully, suspiciously back, gagged and restrained.

When Zim at last stepped into the room, expression firm, the boy immediately tried to struggle and kick his way backwards, away from the one approaching him, the scent of Dib's terror increasing, and noises like squeaks muffled by the cloth tied over his mouth. Dib whined as Zim knelt close to him, shaking his head vigorously, whimpering what sounded like 'no no no no no no!' He kept making his best, valiant little efforts to get away but was failing miserably, weakly.

Zim sighed as he felt that pain in his chest again. Dumb emotions. He knew it wouldn't go away until Dib was calmed and in a better state.

The stench of insanity in the room was enough to make Zim revolted. It was like something rotting, decaying, wearing away. Like poisoned flesh when the cells begin attacking the body, not to mention drugs. The filthies here were probably giving Dib pills to force his cooperation...

"Curse them! Zim should have thought of that..." The invader pouted, before turning full attention back to Dib.

Yes, the alien's little toy soldier was in a very bad way.

"Human! look at your master."

Instead the human jumped when he heard Zim's commanding tone and kicked out defensively. With a snarl Zim grabbed his feet before they could hit him and pulled. Dib lost balance as he was jerked toward his 'visitor' and fell onto his back with a high squeak. Zim leapt up in a moment, pouncing to sit on top of Dib's chest and pin his prey.

Stupid crazy-house caretaker humans! Dib had kicked out at Zim, and was acting all insaney! Look! Dib was probably getting worse by the minute in here! Attention would make him better- NOT SOLITARY CONFINEMENT IN AN EMPTY, PADDED CELL WITH NO WINDOWS!

Clawed, green digits, hidden under black gloves, grabbed the human's chin, forcing the weakened male to give Zim eye contact, at which Dib whimpered, but didn't fight very well. Zim thought the earth-monkey seemed thinner then normal. It was clear his energy was at an all-time-low.

"Worm baby, it's me! I am Zim!"

The young human struggled for only a few more thrashes before collapsing weakly to lay quivering under his self-proclaimed 'master', who was still sitting on his ribcage. Dib shivered, and stared, breathing funny, and Zim's expression turned to concern.

Dib's eyes focused on Zim's face, and the boy paused, calming down if only just a little. His eyes widened slowly as he stared at the E.T. After a couple moments Zim could smell a sudden shock of heavy relief in Dib's hormones. From behind his gag the human murmured something softly that sounded intelligent, and Zim quickly leaned forward to untie the offending cloth and toss it away. If the boy could think enough to understand speech, and wasn't struggling, there was no real reason to restrain him like this. Gently yet defensively, trying to appear dignified somehow, Zim got off, brushing himself off, and Dib cautiously sat up, eyes on his visitor, irises brightening, so much desperate emotion portrayed. Zim raised a hairless, green eyebrow.

"What did you say Dib? Zim didn't hear you before."

The boy just stared as though in wonder.

"Zim...!"

Amber-honey eyes grew shiny and wet, his mouth was slightly open almost panting. Black eyebrows drew together and upward in an intense look of fear and... so much BAD human emotions. He was still shaking horribly. Zim felt so very sick at the sight and smell. It hurt. It made him feel like Dib looked.

From the expression he was getting from the earthling, Zim would almost think the boy was ready to cry.

Zim had no idea how to respond, sitting near the worm-baby, watching this, but that urge to comfort the human, an urge that had plagued him since the beginning of his third year on earth, was rearing its insistent head like a wild horse.

"Dib?"

What happened next was something Zim could never have foreseen. Of course he'd hoped for any sign of Dib's surrender for a long time, dreamed of the day of his victory for so long, but he'd thought he was a long way from that. He certainly hadn't thought it would be quite like this. He'd been expecting something less sudden, drastic, and clear- less... outright surrender.

"ZIM!"

The boy's face changed quickly into a look of such pure, fiery, intensity and pain. Before Zim could react, the shaking body had thrown itself onto him and Dib was sobbing in agony, wailing, shoulders heaving as he tried to breath, face pressing hard into the alien's chest. Dib couldn't cling to him because he was restrained by the straitjacket, but he sure would if he could.

He was crying, not only in front of Zim but into the conqueror's uniform. He never let Zim see him cry. Never let his supposedly unfeeling enemy see him weak.

Zim had let out a loud screamy noise at the unplanned attack, but now, he didn't move away, he just stared at his smeet of a nemesis who was making himself about as vulnerable as he could possibly get, as he lay there how he'd been pushed back by Dib crashing into him. To say the least, Zim was surprised and confused.

Dib must have been... Perhaps seeking comfort? Clearly he saw Zim as someone he could trust- and as such he must have been more desperate then ever! TRUSTING ZIM? Yep. He'd lost it... Or maybe... Zim's plan had started to work...

Zim thought it was more likely from this reaction and everything that the boy was just desperate.

Dib started to talk and Zim cocked his head and tried to listen and understand through the crying.

"I don't wanna go back! Please! I don't... I don't wanna go back! I want to destroy it! I want it to go away! Don't let them pull me back in! I don't wanna go back! I hate it!"

Zim stared in empathy and mild terror. What was Dib babbling about?

"Dib-ness?

"GET ME OUT OF HERE BEFORE THEY TAKE ME BACK! I DON'T WANNA GO BACK! PLEASE! PLEASE ZIM!"

This was so unlike him. He would never, never beg like this. It was almost... Awkward to Zim. This didn't seem like the real Dib.

Dib was writhing, collapsed, face buried in the red cloth of Irken uniform. Zim's disguised eyes widened, antenna flinching back when the boy started screaming like a torture victim, pleading. Zim made up his mind with ferocious strength, and his expression became set and decided, eyes narrowing.

It didn't even matter what they did to Dib, even if they even did anything at all. The 'mental doctors' would be punished, and Zim would not leave his little toy soldier in their hands a moment longer.

:\\\:

Zim wanted very badly to know what the h*** had been done to his Dib-pet of course, but questions could be asked once they were safe. He got the feeling, from the way Dib was shrieking and collapsed on him, begging his mortal enemy for escape, that Dib had reached a state very far from sanity. It was possible Zim had only a short time limit to pull him back before permanent damage was caused.

How was he supposed to drag a wailing smeet out of this 'hospital' without drawing attention though? He couldn't blow his cover!

"Dib-human! Shush!"

After a moment's thought, the irken tried petting his human's hair, as they both sat in Dib's cell. Zim was feeling mildly smug with his freedom to touch his human. Punches and kicks just weren't the same. He'd always found the thought of petting Dib... or more accurately... To put his thoughts into clear, blatant earth terms... 'Feeling him up', to be quite appealing. He'd never really gotten to touch him much before though, so this seemed strangely nice.

Also, he wanted to see Dib's reaction to being touched.

He knew Dib wanted it very badly.

Touch like this was supposed to be calming. He needed the boy to shut up. So it seemed like a good time for running his fingers through the human's messy hair.

To Zim's great disappointment, Dib gave no recognition to the touch at all, and just kept sobbing. He was babbling and stuttering the same sort of things he'd said before, all Zim managed to really understand was that the boy was beyond terrified, and wanted out of this place. And something about being dragged in somewhere?

Dib was rocking slightly, breathing funny and whimpering. There was no doubt in Zim's mind now that his pet had crossed the line into full insanity this time. Dib had had emotional breakdowns and seizures before, but this was beyond that.

They needed to get to Zim's base. Soon.

"Dib-thing! Zim demands you be silent!"

Dib jumped a bit, but gave no other sign he'd heard Zim, still leaning into the Irken, sobs turning into whiny, gasping noises, mixed with paranoid babbling.

Well, Irkens were TRAINED to have to do things the hard way. No big problem.

Zim ceased running his finger's through the male's soft head-fur, and slipped both arms under Dib's, standing and picking him up with ease.

Dib's loud, responding yelp, so close to the alien's face, made Zim flinch and hiss softly, antenna twitching in irritation.

"I said SILENCE!"

Dib whined at being yelled at, still looking petrified with tears on his face, but quickly resumed his drunk-like mumbling.

Zim walked out into the hall, holding the protesting human against himself, dragging him since Dib made no effort to walk, legs limp and sliding annoyingly on the floor.

The irken thought that, given Dib's current level of discooperation, he'd wait to remove the straitjacket. He had no interest in the earthling thrashing around and hitting him.

So, Zim entered his key 'missions' for the day into his pak as escaping the mental facility with his human, both of them in one, er, two pieces... or ...something...

Hopefully that goal would be a little bit easier then they looked at current.

What was he worried about though? He was Zim after all. Everything would be fiiiiiinnnee...

:\\\:

How did the boy wind up here again? Zim tried to think back the two or three days it had been since the young human had been dragged out of school by the white-coats, screaming and twitching.

As Zim started dragging his pet down the hall, Dib was limp, leaning into him, and incessantly muttering and crying out. For Pete's sake, he was going to get the attention of every guard in the building... If there were any at all.

:\\\:

Zim really couldn't remember what had happened. He must not have been present when the male cracked. The human was probably having a little emotional breakdown, and disrupted the class.

Filthy, unworthy slugs! Locking up what Zim OWNED over such a little thing... Terrifying Dib with their 'therapies'. It made the Irken grit his teeth.

"Zim demands your SILENCE dirt-baby!"

Ignoring the demand, the boy kept mewling and squirming about, as Zim was trying to walk down a hall with him. It was driving the alien nuts, at the same time though, it gave him more of the agonized, sick feeling- seeing Dib like this. The boy had really lost it this time. He wouldn't stop twitching!

Ahh, well. Having to fix the boy's mind once in a while was a small price to pay for such a pretty, yet excitingly dangerous pet. And now that Dib had lost his mind and become so dependent, Zim would just take him back to his base, get Dib to be his. Easily.

The alien felt a flurry of zealousness at the idea of finally claiming Dib and grinned madly. It would be so simple now!

Out in the hall now, Zim's boots clicked against the tile just like when he'd been coming in. Antenna hidden under fake hair twitched, listening and smelling for the nasty 'caretaker' humans. Just let them TRY to take his Dib as if they had any say. They would learn the wrath of ZIM!

:\\\:

It had been almost two minutes now that they'd been walking uneventfully, and Zim's guard was still up, expecting to be caught taking Dib out at any moment. He was nervous, and his 'prize' was doing nothing to help, still just being half-dragged.

Suddenly the alien's formerly struggling captive froze up, tence, eyes going unnaturally wide, gasping before his throat locked up. Dib's stiffened body slumped against Zim in silence as the Irken was trying to carry him, and Zim startled at all the strangeness. Dib stopped breathing, and started twitching and making gaging noises.

With a confused, and efforted grunt, the alien held onto him tightly as his human went completely limp with a last whimper of terror.

"What the- DIB HUMAN I'VE HAD ENOUGH OF THIS! UP! GET UP HUMAN! CEASE THIS! I KNOW YOU CAN! WILL YOU JUST CALM DOWN AND TRY TO... Ehhhh...Get your... brain-meats back in place... or... Eh... Oh come on! Just concentrate! Something!"

What was Dib doing NOW? Some other insane-thing? Zim grew worried at the look on his face though.

"Mh... Zi-Zi-im...Donle... Ih... gan..."

One ghostly pale hand clutched the soft red uniform in a death grip, before the boy's eyes slipped shut, everything in him stopping.

Only faint breaths lifted his chest, and when the paranoid Irken felt for a pulse, he found a softened one that was completely unsatisfying to his fears. The earthling appeared to be sleeping, but Zim didn't like the looks of it all one bit.

"DIB?"


	2. His own little world

**(((! This chapter has been edited since it was first put up! Just some minor re-wording. Trying to make movements and actions more clear.)))**

**Here you guys go! Another chapter! This one will probably be every other day except on weekends. Weekends will probably be every day. If I can manage that. There may be some days where I'm supposed to post yet can't. *shrugs* I guess we'll see.**

**Kayla; MT? What's that stand for? Cause I can think of lots of possibilities. XP And yeah, I've read some of Rilzit. It's really good. I need to read more... it's just really long. XD I normally like that but it means I need to find time. And thanks, glad you like!**

**Femke; Sadly, I don't have a DA account. I plan to get one, but don't have one yet. Your English actually isn't too bad (especially if you're able to read these stories) so... yeah. And you're not stupid. :O You're just... happy. XD**

**To everyone else, thanks for reviews, favs, alerts, etc!**

**:\\\:**

**:\\\:**

"All I got was a brief flash of, SOMETHING, but that's it. I thought it was just a malfunction, but, since then the jumps keep coming! Even without the machine! Getting longer and longer each time!

If I don't do something about it quick, it won't be long before I end up stuck!

STUCK IN THAT HORRIBLE DIMENSION!

/:\\\

"You mean this whole place is based off of my imagination?"

...

"Maybe I am crazy..."

/:\\\

"They're done with this place, ruined ALL of it."

/:\\\

"This whole dimension exists in your mind Dib! Maybe that's why your head's so big..."

/:\\\

Since before he was even ten, several years before Zim came, it was no secret Dib was unwell.

He had problems of high severity and no form of help.

As a child the nightmares had started. Dib's subconscious built different appearances for people he knew, based off of how they treated him. He was neglected, bullied, abused. Their alternate selves reflected Dib's pain, and their obvious hatred for him. Tangled limbs, bloody faces, blackened eyes, horror. It was portrayed in a way that could get anyone to recoil.

As a young child he'd had to go to the store and buy food, be it day or night, to keep himself and his sister from starving while their father went off on business trips, not bothering to buy his own children food before leaving, neglectful, uncaring.

The city was scary, especially to a seven-year-old, alone and lost, just trying to find a grocery store to soothe the pinched sensation in his tummy. Several nights he'd cried himself to sleep on the streets because he couldn't find his way home. After a couple years though, while it never got less frightening, he'd mapped out the city in clear detail, and was able to find his way around. He knew every building on some blocks.

He learned to fight back all feelings of pain, fear, sadness, and such, but the feelings had to go somewhere.

Everything of this sort polluted the deeper parts of his mind, mixing with his vivid imagination, knowledge of the paranormal, and good memory, to build a place of pure fear and hatred. Another version of his home, his city, and everyone in those places.

Dib had cried himself to sleep so many times. He was tired, the waking world was a wretched place, but his dreams, what should have been an escape, sleep; it was worse. He didn't want to sleep. He wanted an escape, but he knew the claws that would 'welcome' him when he lost consciousness. He was only a child. It wasn't right to have to witness these things. To be so messed up.

It all progressed, into more and more, a land of indescribable terror.

At eleven years of age, on Halloween, he'd been sucked in completely. He was lucky enough to bring Zim with him.

They got out, escaped, but just barely.

Dib thought it was over then. He didn't see much of it since. It left him overjoyed on that night. He'd laughed, almost shook with relief and happiness. Thank god... It was over!

:\\\:

"WE MADE IT! I MADE IT!"

:\\\:

It wasn't over.

It wasn't possible for such a huge mental wound to scar into a simple memory so easily.

His own mind became a stalking beast, ready to pounce, the big, bad wolf to gobble him up.

His life continued the way it had. The way that had built up that nightmare world in the first place. It built, and grew, feeding the beast, mutating it further. At sixteen, the paranormal obsessor's mind had grown the capacity to envision things so gruesome, there were hardly words to describe them. To have the monsters coming at you was enough to make Dib want more then anything to die. To just die. Even if he got away he'd only be pulled back. Death was the only thing that could ever sever the chain, connecting his spirit and self to his dark, polluted brain.

Zim gave him an escape though. Zim gave him something else to think about. When his thoughts were kept on healthier things, and his own little world forgotten, himself forgotten, it all seemed to begin to die off.

Being in that world was like what hell night be like. Pain, constant. It felt so real. The fear simply surged through his body, strong enough to make him puke or faint. He cried. He wailed, he screamed. There was never an escape. He was left to curl into a helpless ball and desperately pray that time would save him, and he'd wake up eventually.

He was always surrounded. Whether he ran or hid they'd always find him. They were everywhere.

/:\\\

When the bullying got worse, when things built up to the breaking point, the beast of Dib's mind snatched him, held him in its claws, petting him with the talons, toying with its helpless prey, until gashes tore Dib's flesh. And he felt it. It felt real. He felt the pain.

:\\\:

Several years after that fateful Halloween, the teen's dreams had returned, tormenting him until he finally broke free to wake up, gasping and dripping with sweat.

The entire school day after, Dib just wasn't paying attention, concentrated on the worry of the return of his nightmare world. He was seeing things when he looked around. He found himself chewing on his pencil, scratching his arms and neck until they were red, returning to an enormous plethora of nervous habits he thought he'd kicked a long time ago. It was worse then ever before. He was losing it! Losing his grip! He had to hold on!

When the school jocks pinned him in the hall and started beating him senseless , kicking and punching, just for their own sick amusement, as they did very frequently, the fear that had been mounting went out of control. Dib lost the grip he'd held so hard.

Since then he didn't even know what happened. He had no memory. He must have fainted, slipped into unconsciousness. Sleep- The realm dominated by his wronged brain.

He was a prisoner of endless fear, of nightmares. Since snapping, half the time he didn't even know a hint of what was going on around him.

At last he came to, slightly, only for a minute, to see Zim, on a background of blurry, heavenly white.

Normal world Zim. Not a twisted version. Zim; the being who had sent the message for a while now that he MIGHT, POSSIBLY, CARE. The one who stole his attention of self-pity and worries and kept his insanity at bay.

Dib was so desperate. He didn't care anymore. He couldn't do this on his own. Somehow he just, didn't care. He fell on Zim and begged.

Things blurred again.

Then Dib felt the adrenaline, the sick feeling as something scratched down the back of his head towards his neck, cutting through skin, pulling him, dragging his consciousness into his subconscious to merge. He clung to whatever was near but he couldn't fight anymore. The nightmares pulled him back.

/:\\\

Blackness surrounded him. There was no moon, no stars, and few working lights at 'night' in his dimension. Dib couldn't see. It was too dark for him to see.

He stood there, petrified as he had been for what felt like all his life now. He was detached and unresponsive, but inside he pleaded with himself, sobbing, shaking, willing his own limbs to move with unvoiced screams. He was like another being outside of himself, pulling, shoving, screaming, and crying.

"MOVE DAMMIT! MOVE!

PLEASE! RUN! THEY WANT TO- THEY WANT TO-

PLEASE! PLEASE RUN! THEY'RE COMING!

PLEASE! PLEASE! PLEASE!"

Yet again he couldn't move. He was walled up in a tiny part of himself, unable to communicate with the unresponsive body that just stood and stared.

The child was back in his own little imaginary world. Such sweetness contorted was this.

Burning acid seized his ankles in a slimy grip, squeezing until he could hear his bones crack. Dib couldn't see who'd grabbed him and he didn't want to. He really didn't want to. Tears ran down his face, and his whimpers were unrestrained.

Teeth and hot, rancid breath scratched the back of his neck, along with serrated claws.

"There you are little one. We missed you. We'd like to have some fun with you yes?"

Red blood spilled down. Horrible pain. Something was biting him, tearing him open.

He could control his mouth again it seemed, but it did little for him. His shreikes echoed with an empty hopelessness as he sobbed and shrieked until his throat burned when he tried to make a sound.

:\\\:

Dragging a limp body out of a somewhat guarded mental institution, turned out harder then it had first sounded to Zim, even though Dib was incredibly light from starvation.

The rotting stench of insanity was thick, blocking Zim's ability to sense much besides it. He couldn't help his nervousness about whether or not he'd be able to tell when someone was coming. The alien tried to keep himself on high alert as much as he could, but found himself becoming shamefully jumpy.

After a couple minutes, the hallway came to a turn. Zim went around the corner to see a whole group of white-coated humans and he nearly chocked on air, going ridged. The humans startled and stared right back at him, mirroring his expression of utter shock from behind their dark, evil goggles and glasses.

Time slowed for a couple of seconds,

then the Irken turned on his heel and shot off running hard back the other way, panting fast, clutching his limp, comatose Dib-let tight in his arms, as he charged away from the imminent danger he'd found.

The 'doctors' had seen that Zim was carrying one of their strait-jacketed prisoners, and the alien tensed inwardly, squiddily-spooch twisting, as the 'psychiatrists' started screaming for more of their kind, and running up behind their green target.

Black military boots clacked, while various other shoes and boots squeaked, against the reflective tile. The soundless purity was completely destroyed by the sudden shock filled pursue.

Zim's cardiac muscle missed a beat before surging to a faster pace. The Irken jerkily shifted Dib around in his arms to hold him better, bridal style. He couldn't be caught! He'd escape them somehow! Just run! Run!

His pak whirred ever so softly as his thoughts sped.

A door, even a window- there had to be one somewhere around here Zim thought. A mighty Irken like himself could easily land on his feet and survive a leap from a third story window... Probably.

Either way, he'd been caught, at least by sight, and was getting chased.

Zim turned sharply and suddenly, down another hall, and then another, playing fox to get the hounds to lose his trail. He could use the maze until they didn't know which way he was going.

"It shouldn't be too hard to lose those smellies at this rate.." Zim thought.

He appeared to be faster then them. He wasn't sure, but it sounded like the chasing footsteps were getting mildly fainter.

The current hallway ended in unlocked, double doors and the Irken had to slide to a stop from momentum, arms full, powerfully kicking one door open with and running again right through into a waiting room.

Zim felt utterly sick again, as eyes fell on him. There were more people here. He became frantic. Out! He had to get out!

Several families sitting in chairs gave him very odd looks, but the only employee in the room was a young woman behind a desk, asleep at her post. Zim calmed down just slightly, and after glaring at the unmoving humans with huff, bolted again.

A huge window on one wall of the room let in beautiful, winter light, reflected off snow.

Someone gasped and someone else shrieked as long, thin, silvery, insectiod limbs slid out of the pod on the green-skinned being's back. In seconds someone would be there to attack, to stop him. Zim didn't give himself time to think, stabbing the sharp appendages forward. Glass flashed white like the foam of crashing waves as it ringingly shattered. Shards exploded out from the impact and the lithe alien vaulted out through the exit he'd made.

The ground looked very far away but pulled up close, too fast for feeling or contemplation. Zim tensed his stomach muscles, gritted his teeth, and extended all four metal spider legs. These limbs stuck through the snow and into the ground like thrusted shovels. The impact was well absorbed this way, but now Zim opened his eyes again and swallowed down nausea, wide eyed, head pounding. He hadnt dropped Dib at least- at least that had gone well- but...

Frantically, the alien pulled, and quickly got even more fearful when the legs didn't budge. He was trapped.

The building's ground floor doors were just twenty feet to his right, and immediately behind him was a huge window. He didn't even stress himself to look back. Zim writhed, jerked, pulled, pouring in all his strength.

One leg popped out, and for a moment the alien was dis-balanced. Re-steadying the leg, he began it all again, more determined from this bit of encouragement. He tugged hard and another leg came out.

It was taking too long. Shouting voices could be heard from behind him, hostile. Someone was at the window, knocking hurriedly, yelling, sounding furious. Zim didn't let himself look back. Speed was everything in the moment. Someone could bust out through the door and catch him at any moment now- he'd fight, but it would be very hard and against more then one or two, he'd go down.

Zim strained and gasped as the third leg pulled free. Using all the others he pushed forward and up, opposite of the last leg. It slid, and stuck again.

Running footsteps came from inside, behind the widow, fading to the right, speeding for the door.

The leg slid, then stuck again.

Zim shot free just before the door banged open. The Irken didn't look to see if he was pursued by mere employees or dangerous guards. He was too close. Adrenaline rushed. He had to get away. Fierce was his grip on Dib, as he shot forward like a cheetah from his spider legs, organic limbs not touching the frozen ground until he'd vaulted the seven foot, chain-link fence, setting down on the sidewalk. Then, he ran some more.

:\\\:

By now he was panting and covered in filthy sweat which was making him very cold in the frigid air. It had been simple enough overall, compared to many things Zim had done, but only because he'd put a lot of work and effort into it. He ran fast and hard, and even now he didn't stop. He was vested over Dib's current state, and wanted to get to his base as soon as possible to hook the dirt-monkey up to his irken machines and stabalize his vitals. It honestly scared him, how soft and faint Dib's pulse and breaths were. He remained so unresponsive. Dib seemed so distant.

Several minutes of panting and a heavy pulse went by. Zim was starting to wonder if he was home-free, unpursued, and if he could slow down now.

Just as he began to calm, a loud, close, unexpected siren blared hard. The invader jumped at the sound, looking around yet not seeing the source. It could be for anything but he had no interest in risks at the moment.

Giving a frustrated, feral snarl, the alien hurried into an alley, a tiny space between two buildings, dead-ended with a barbed wire fence, and littered with trash that came out of the rusty dumpster somehow. The stench made Zim's insides clench even harder then they already were due to fear, but he forced himself not to heave as he hid behind the garbage-disposal-unit and waited for the police cars and their flashy lights to pass.

He felt ill, squiddily-spooch knotting as he sat there, damp stagnant water puddled on the cement soaking into his pants.

Shuddering, Zim finally calmed down off the adrenaline enough to look down at Dib and direct his attention into him, thinking on more then where he was going and 'escaping' for once.

"Human-thing, you had better be grateful for this." The conqueror hissed, mostly talking just to calm himself down.

"I will have you do things for me... I will force you to be my slave for a while... Have you pay me compliments... Yes, you'd better be worth this..."

Zim got up, after several minutes, once the sirens seemed to be fading, almost dry-heaving when he felt the water dripping off his pants. Dirty, dirty GERMY FILTH! Ew! He'd have to remember to watch where he say down more. Cursed puddle. He didn't wanna know what that was from.

He was cramped, cold, wet, and getting tired. Was it possible the almighty Zim might just be... Getting out of shape? NEVER... Or... Maybe...

Zim barely spent several minutes peering out of the ally and looking around before starting back down the sidewalk at an anxious, but slightly more relaxed pace.

Once he thought about it, the Irken doubted those police cars he heard were over what he'd done. If the mental institution hadn't bothered to feed Dib, why would they call the law-enforcers when he was stolen? Maybe someone would lose their job if they lost patients. Maybe the boy's father called. Who knew? Who cared?

The alien managed a darkly victorious smile, and started to chuckle.

Fools, all of them!

Dib was Zim's. He had always been Zim's.

No one else had ever even wanted him. His father thought he owned him, being his parent unit? Pish! He took Dib for granted. If he didn't give a crap about his offspring until they were abducted, then tough luck.

Look who owned him now!

Look who WON.

Dib was Zim's now. The man should have cared more. Going, going gone. Never know what you've got until you don't have it anymore.

Zim was on the opposite side of things. Zim knew what he was so close to gaining, and refused to let it be taken away.

'clip, clip, clip' the military boots made a dignified noise against the hard, grey sidewalk, the snow shoveled off of it or melted, but no one looked.

Glancing down at the earth-child, Zim frowned. The alien was too far from his base, and he was starting to almost panic over how... deep of a sleep Dib was in. It was almost like he was brain-dead.

They seemed to have escaped all pursuers but... Zim was still a little jumpy.

This was NOT what he'd planned for today when the sun had been coming up. Oh well.

He needed a faster means of getting to his base then walking, especially with the law enforcers possibly looking for him in their shiny cars with the blinky, hypnotic lights.

After mere moments, his eyes settled on a sign and a grin crossed his face, exposing sharp teeth. Perfect.

Sitting down on the bench, Zim pulled his human slave into his lap, so the limp body leaned into him, shifting Dib until the boy's chin rested on one of Zim's shoulder guards; pauldrons or whatever humans called them.

The sign, standing tall, gleaming with the heartless light of winter, beside the metal bench, read; 'bus stop'

Zim really hoped this wouldn't turn out as badly as his first bus ride, and he checked his pockets ahead of time for change.

:\\\:

A few minutes ticked by and the green creature began to wonder about possible flaws in his magnificent plan- like when exactly did this bus come?

Perhaps it was just cause he was in a hurry, but it already felt that he'd been waiting for five to ten minutes, on a very hard and very cold metal bench.

He was wasting time! He needed to get to his base ASAP! Dib, his Dib, could be dying.

What was wrong with him anyway?

"You are... Broken..." The alien mumbled, reaching one arm around him better and petting Dib's hair. He loved stroking the curved scythe lock and watching it bob back up when he pushed it down.

"You know... if you give in Zim will happily fix you. What do you say Dib-ling?"

Of course Dib said nothing, remaining practically dead. Frowning, Zim growled and looked away, pouting, quickly getting back to his former thoughts.

Was he wasting time while Dib's life force drained? Zim swallowed, still feeling the affects of panicked running, and really wishing he had something... Refreshing, but not too cold, to drink. Another minute and Dib didn't move. He seemed so far away.

No no no no no! He couldn't ALLOW Dib to die this way...

When the familiar screech of tires and rusty metal, and the rumbling motor sounded at last, Zim let out a long, heavy breath. He stood up, still holding the human to himself.

Dib still lay there, slumped against his 'owner' like a sack of flour, heart beating, breathing, but completely unresponsive.

The Irken felt like screaming at the fat lady in the driver's seat, that her taking her sweet time while one of Zim's ... beings... he owned... subject, slave, whatever, was possibly DYING; that it was unacceptable, an she would die for it.

Instead he simply slapped money in the change box with a weird snarl and hurried for the back of the near-empty vehicle.

Zim had had Gir rocket him to the mental institution since it was so far away. He would have Gir rocket him back to the base, but there was no physical way Gir could carry both Zim AND Dib.

The Irken sighed as he sat down in one of the seats, insistently pulling his prisoner onto his lap, a place of, perhaps submission, or being owned? It was a human culture thing. Zim didn't understand it. All he knew was humans sometimes had others sit on their laps, and it SEEMED to him that they were usually in some sort of superior-inferior, or protecting-property sort of relationship, maybe? He just wanted to send a clear message that anyone who got too close to his territory would be torn open, and maybe he'd eat their guts to see what they tasted like and frighten everyone else.

Several people were staring at the green skinned person missing facial features, and the unconscious boy he held, who was in a restraining straitjacket, like one might expect the people too. Zim's animalistic growls and glares got them to turn awkwardly away like it was nothing though. Easy. Humans were so dumb.

All humans but one.

The limp boy practically melted into the form holding him, and then, surprisingly gave a soft little groaning sigh. Dib frowned, and then shifted.

Zim jerked his head to look down, startled. Breaking out in a wide, sharp toothed, cheshire cat grin, Zim poked the boy's little nose, willing him to finally wake up.

Of course he would never admit he'd been frightened, but, he had.

The idea of losing Dib filled him with a terrible fear as if his own life was in danger. Dib had seemed so far away.

There was just some sensation Zim got while holding him, that Dib was... Somewhere else, somewhere Zim couldn't reach him.

Now he could interrogate his human and figure out what was wrong; fix him.

Just as soon as they got back to his base.


	3. Unstable, confused, traumatized

**Dib's got a bit of brain damage here, from stress, the nightmare-insanity, or drugs from the crazy house... I'm not sure. Take your pick. Either way, even while awake, the poor boy isn't doing too well.**

**Lolibeagle; Yes! As a matter of fact, that's what gave me the idea to make this, however this is not a preceding event by any means. Just inspired. Glad you caught that though!**

**Kayla; Yes, there may be some references. I drew the idea from one chapter after all, something Dib said. And don't worry. I'll have loads of fun with that great big crazy head of his that smells like puppies... Creepy fun. :D**

**Enjoy another chappy!**

**:\\\:**

Everything ached, stung, burned. Any movement reopened and tore the gaps in his flesh where he'd been bitten, and clawed. He had bruises from being hit and thrown and pummeled. His felt as though fire ants were tunneling under his skin, he saw insect-like blotches in his vision, but Dibcouldn't do a thing about it. Hard, jaggedly ground with painful bumps like little stalagmites lay beneath him. He had fallen on his side, curled in on himself. Blankly, soft brown eyes stared ahead of him, empty of feeling aside from the consistent stream of tears.

He could hardly breath. Broken ribs stabbed and crushed his lungs when he inhaled.

They all circled around him. Eyes; glowing, reptilian, insectiod, mammalian, human, and a few creatures with empty sockets, they all stared at him, waiting for him to die, sickly sweet smiles and grins on the twisted faces of everyone he knew. They waited for him to die. They wanted to make sure it was slow enough, painful enough. They were barely recognizable in the taunting, crushing darkness.

Dib swallowed down the coppery taste of his own blood which had filled his mouth, and his abused throat burned and tore for the effort.

He stared at the creatures. His teacher, his classmates, his sister, his father.

"Why do you hate me?"

He couldn't speak, but he didn't need to. This was his mind. He couldn't hide anything in his thoughts, because his thoughts were WHERE THEY WERE.

They all only grinned wider and Dib felt the pull in his chest making him want to cry.

Why did everyone hate him?

He only tried to live up to, and save them, and, and- wait-

Everyone?

Where was Zim?

He wasn't there...

"I wonder where Zim is... " It was a detached sort of thought, deranged. Dib was almost dying; though he couldn't really die- none of this was real. He'd be back to suffer later; but it all seemed to work the same. The pain felt the same, his thoughts worked the same, and his sanity left at the same rate under stress; maybe faster.

A sudden flash, an explosion, something heavy and sudden, a sensation, sucked him up off the ground. Everything blurred and and brightened gently.

The pain ebbed to a stop.

Oh glorious relief from the pain.

Was it over. Oh yes! Oh please...

He became suddenly aware that his clothes were clean and dry, not soaked dark red with his life-juice.

A soft warmth was cradling him, and he greedily pressed in, hearing an inhuman heartbeat. He didn't care what was happening. All he knew was he was awake now, because the pure agony had ceased, though he was still panicked, at least he wasn't being attacked. That was all that mattered. He was, possibly, safe.

What he'd been through... It was twice as bad as ... That... Place...had been at eleven. As his mind matured, his dimension darkened.

He was so out of it right now. Still detached. His sanity was far gone. He didn't care about; nor could his brain currently work enough to comprehend; where he was, or, what was happening around him. He'd almost lost the ability to think.

Wasn't he... Wasn't he doing something?... Who...

Oh yes... Zim... He was looking for Zim... Wasn't he?

Something poked him and he flinched hard and yipped, eyes opening only a sliver and only for a moment, before closing again, body falling limply back how it was. He nuzzled into the form he was pressed into, making soft, pleading noises.

His attacked nose twitched as he scrunched his face in uninterested annoyance.

Zim chuckled at the movement, and the unexplainable, cute, grunts and whimpers, before poking Dib again.

The earthling whined softly. Whatever kept touching him so firmly he wanted it to stop.

He tried to hug the warm, firm-yet-softish thing, that he was nestled against; cling to it; but that only caused him to discover that he couldn't move his arms. Why couldn't he move his arms?

His stomach felt pinched and his throat was sore. To put it simply, he was very uncomfortable, and growing very worried.

Weakly Dib squirmed against his captor, Zim holding him tight, smiling down almost gently, though anyone who didn't know him would take the look as threatening.

"Yes! That's right! Quit your sleeping Dib. It makes you boring."

Dib made a small, high-pitched 'mm?' noise, and finally managed to push off of Zim ever so slightly to look around, head swaying in dizziness as he tried to take in his surroundings. He remained sitting sideways in the alien's lap, as he drearily looked around.

What was wrong? Something was wrong. Everything was terribly blurry and he just couldn't... Make any connections. He could hear, smell, taste, feel, sort-of-see. He knew he should be able to figure out where he was but he just couldn't. He brain wasn't working at a normal level. It was almost like amnesia. Except he could remember... or could he? When he tried he came up with fuzzy ideas. Everything was... just out of reach. He was left helpless.

Where was he? WHERE WAS HE? WHERE THE H*** WAS HE AND WHY?

He was going to die wasn't he!

A long desperate whimper trembled on his lips. He felt so weak.

Triumphant, Zim resisted the urge to tease when the boy collapsed back against him, breathing quickened from fear. Just look at him! Dib was in submission! Zim won!

Dib was much less happy. He was frightened, and his brain functions drained right out of him due to it. He was nearly a mindless animal.

With his arms still around the male's waist and mid-upper torso, Zim started rubbing the boy's back in firm circles; not roughly, but pressing in his fingers rather hard, attempting to mildly dig into the muscles and relax them; comfort the human as a first reward for at least beginning, to adapt a more submissive attitude.

At first Dib gave a little gasping noise, arching away from the three-digited hands, at which Zim chuckled, but continued. The human whimpered, but eventually relaxed when he found the touch wasn't painful.

It felt nice.

Dib was leaning fully into the being beside him as his head throbbed and his hands shook inside the white garment. Another soft groan escaped him as he tried to get his bearings. He wanted to wrap himself up in whatever warmth was next to him, block out the loud noises that came from... everywhere. The noise hurt. The sound was too loud, the light was too bright, he couldn't make sense of anything but he felt so very unsafe. He needed some small, comfy space to hide away in... With this nice person holding him- he wanted them to stay with him.

Dib... He just wanted to go home. He couldn't even remember what home was like though. Dib just wanted to curl up in a corner until he'd regained the ability to think. Curl up and sob, maybe die. Everything now was just scary. Tormenting.

He didn't even have any goal, any thought, any memory to empower him, and give him something to work towards.

Zim was thoroughly enjoying the way Dib made no attempt to leave his lap, not only leaning on him in his current weakness, but pressing in as close as he could get. He knew Zim would protect him! Hah! Look! He was nuzzling his face in now, enjoying Zim's warmth and showing a sign of, of, affection for his master! Yes! Look at him! He had surrendered! Victory for Zim at last!

"Human! Acknowledge Zim!"

The boy shook briefly, body brushed by vicious shudders. Whining tiredly, he shifted.

What was that sound? It took him a moment to realize that was someone was talking to him. When he made that connection, he jumped at the startling following one; Someone was holding him, he was sitting against them and they were touching him.

He'd sort of known this, but he only now recognized it in a more human way, instead of on a less aware and intelligent animal-level.

Dib jerked back; only several inches due to weakened muscles; with a startled cry. In response his headache stabbed in hard, and he winced, cutting his first cry short with a second, falling right back against the green alien only a second or two after. Dib curled up, breathing quickened, making desperate noises. He still couldn't see through the blur, missing his glasses, but he recognized green and red and bit of black.

"Z-Zim..."

"Heheheh, yes, I am Zim." The alien chuckled. He was thoroughly delighted with all this, and clearly picked up on the fear in the boy's raspy murmur of his name. To him that fear was another sign of the fact that he'd gained control of the cute little... pale white... Monkey... fluff... Thing.

"What... What are you doing... Where...?"

The boy started breathing heavier, louder. He felt so disoriented and dizzy. He couldn't think enough to understand what he even wanted to ask.

He felt the alien squeeze him tightly. Zim kept it in-audible, but laying against the alien, Dib could feel the gentle vibration of a purr that Zim gave him, intended to be comforting. The sound coaxed another soft, fearfully confused squeak from Dib.

"We're going to my base Dib-ling." Suppressing the urge to break out into a full, evil laugh, Zim leaned in towards the boy's head as Dib rested, helpless, laying on him, and the alien chuckled into his ear;

"Silly Dib. I always told you I'd win- though I myself, in all my amazingness, never originally thought it would be of benefit to YOU."

For a moment the invader waited for Dib to yell some come-back, or at least show protest, and was mildly disappointed when Dib gave no response, still just sitting on his lap, huddled against him, the side of his head pressing with endearing weakness into the alien's collar-bone. Dib's breaths were raggedy, almost panting, and shaky.

Squirming again, Dib tried briefly to move his arms again, whining when he found they were still restrained.

"Ahh yes, Zim thinks that he'll be... leaving the straitjacket on you... Unless of course... You were to, say, swear obedience and cooperation to ZIM? I AM ZIM!"

The boy listened, and tried to make sense of what was being said to him, but he just couldn't put meaning to the words. He could recognize the voice, but that was it. The sound of that voice was horribly comforting though. So nice...

He slowly rubbed the side of his face into the chest of the creature holding him, not thinking, not able to think, just wanting more reassurance naturally showing gratitude and affection. He felt so helpless. Yet he had someone here, someone who perhaps he could depend on? Someone holding him, nice and tight and close. No one ever held him. Dib didn't get hugs. What was going on?

Was he in heaven? Did he finally die?

No, it was too noisy and uncomfortable for heaven; and he was hungry and thirsty and aching and restrained. Not exactly how he'd ever heard heaven described.

He had some part of that good afterlife here though it seemed, and he turned shakily to press his face into the holy warmth and realness.

Misreading the boy's body language as an acceptance of dependence and obedience to his Irken master, the Irken grinned, almost squealing out a happy noise.

Oh sweet victory for Zim!

"Yes! YES! You're mine! YOU'RE ALL MINE AT LAST! I HAVE WON! VICTORY! Mine! MINEMINEMINEMINEMINE!"

Zim bit Dib's scythe lock and started gnawing on it playfully, purring away in a show of triumphant happiness.

Poor Dib hadn't a clue what the being was talking about, but his comforter was hugging him nice and tight, and sounded happy about it. For some reason, this creature's clear happiness made Dib smile, and he cuddled up, getting more relaxed, leaning against the person more, unaware that his hair was getting sucked on.

The five other people on the bus were staring with open mouths by now. Most rushed for the doors as soon as they reached the next stop, to get away from the crazies.

The others, and the driver, didn't care, or found it all amusing.

However, when they reached that first stop, the brakes gave the normal sharp screech.

At that sound Dib leapt up with a shout of horror, falling right onto the floor with a thwak, curling up and writhing, crying out. It was grating on his brain like... like THIER CLAWS. It was long and loud and torturous.

"no no no no no no no please no..."

Cursing himself for having lost his hold on Dib when the boy jerked like that, Zim immediately slid out of his seat to kneel beside his human, grabbing him by the white restraining garment, and hoisting him back up, at the price of another tortured, tense noise from Dib.

"Calm yourself earth smeet!" Pulling the worm-baby with him, Zim sat back down in his place on the bus, with Dib in his lap again.

Dib struggled now, thrashing and whimpering for a good thirty seconds before relaxing again, panting harder then before.

Zim started running his fingers through Dib's hair again, forgetting his promise to remove the straitjacket if his human agreed to cooperate. Just in case he jumped though, Zim kept one very firm arm around his smeet-thing's waist.

He loved that fuzzy head-fur. The spiky look contrasting its luxuriously soft feel, and that adorable curving-back-thingy. It was like an earth weapon, for be-heading, called 'scythe' Zim believed. He liked to toy with it, make it bounce by pushing it around and watching it spring back into its inherited style.

Several more minutes passed. The human continued jumping and squeaking at any sudden noises.

Finally, in a quieter, calmer moment, Dib looked around again, sitting up a little more, sighing heavily, almost tiredly. He'd been resting his sore eyes; without his glasses they were strained and everything was blurry; but he hadn't dared to sleep.

If he slept he'd be trapped yet again.

He didn't even need to go to sleep last time- those beings had grown so strong they simply pulled him right in. He'd been unable to fight. They were so powerful right now... When he was so weak...

But he felt protected by the one holding him.

He turned, golden eyes looking into fake indigo-grey ones, watching his rescuer smirk at him, yet in a not-too-threatening-way.

Dib just looked blank, kindof sleepy for a moment, before inquiring cautiously;

"Zim?"

"Yes! YES! I AM ZIM! Zim is me! I am Zim!"

The Irken nodded vigorously, pleased to see Dib was regaining a more normal state of mind.

"Oh." The teen murmured, staring at him for a while longer, before giving up on trying to think, and laying back against the alien.

"Good." He mumbled. Right then, it did seem good. Zim was there. He was with Zim.

Normal, non-nightmare Zim.

Zim didn't understand the pulling feeling in his chest he got when Dib said that. 'good.' Dib was glad Zim was there. It seemed like a nice feeling; knowing Dib enjoyed his presence; it increased his current fondness over this vulnerable young earth-native.

:\\\:

"LAST STOP!"

Both beings jumped at the shout; Dib looked around as if expecting to find someone pointing a gun at his head, still terrified and sickened by sudden sounds, clutching fistfuls of Zim's clothes. Zim was just surprised at the interruption, and quickly shook it off.

"Come Dib-let."

Careingly, gently, Zim helped the human stumble and limp to the doors- where he refused to go a step further. Dib tried to back away when he saw the stairs. They looked just HORRIBLE. His depth perception was being mean. To Dib, that could have been a thousand feet between each step. He couldn't tell.

Zim had to half-drag-half-carry him out and down to the sidewalk, a little down the road from his base, with Dib crying out loudly about it and struggling the whole time.

The bot was assaulted with new sounds and smells, his blurred vision of the scene around him changed violently. He wasn't in a small, cool, metal space on a semi-comfortable seat anymore. Everything was white, and bright, and so very, very cold. Within moments he was shuddering and mumbling in paranoia again, looking all around, often jerking his head and shouting nonsense at random passersby. He jerked, almost seizuring, in the alien's grasp.

Zim got worried again, as the boy quickly grew worse in every way. Zim was watching Dib's sanity just drain out through his ears. Pity. And he had seemed to be getting better before too...

Zim was holding Dib under the arms, dragging him, headed for his base as fast as he could, but he couldn't go fast enough.

The boy's slurred, random cries grew louder and more tortured, he was starting to struggle, he stunk of fear again, and no matter what Zim said, trying to calm him, he just couldn't get the boy back to normal, nor could he keep him from getting worse, and worse, and worse.

Zim started to panic. His blood-pumping-organ sped its pace. Every second lengthened.

Dib screamed and jerked.

"Almost there human, almost there!"

Zim panted, running, feeling exhausted, slowed by Dib's movements.

So close!

The house was just almost within sight again, when Dib fainted.

:\\\:

Darkness surrounded Dib and someone behind him laughed. Dib's breaths came heavy and his heart began to thud.

Not again.

Please... At least not so soon after the last time... Why couldn't they leave him alone?

Tears stung his eyes and he bit his lip and whimpered, shaking and looking around in the blackness, unable to run as THEY crept in.

He thought he saw movement, a figure in the dark, peering at him, full of devilish intent. He couldn't move, couldn't speak. He couldn't breathe.


	4. Taking the abandoned pet home

**Sorry for the long wait. I ran into a lot of problems, for the story, and just finding time, and stuff in real life. I'll be uploading only on weekends until I have more chapters stockpiled for this. For now that means today, and then one on Sunday, then no more until next Friday or Saturday. Sorry.**

**Thank you all for your encouragement and please review!**

**:\\\:**

The alien's voice vibrated around in Dib's thoughts, one of the irken's attempts to calm him sounding melted and garbled in the boy's mind, but Dib clung to it ferociously like a lifeline as he stood again in the streets flooded with old, drying blood. There was no sun, but there was a bit of light; the sky was sickly green and yellow, almost glowing. Over and over, the little human replayed the irken's promise as best as he could remember it.

"Easy earth-smell! Zim won't let any of the germ-filths hurt you. Zim will keep you, eh, un-pained. Yes. Zim will protect..."

But whatever he'd said he'd protect the earthling from, he didn't even KNOW about the monsters. Zim couldn't protect him now. Dib resisted the faintness pooling in his head and the sickness in his stomach.

This time Dib was able to move, or at least stumble. This dimension varied on occasion, probably reflecting something in it's creator. Last time Dib couldn't move or see. Now he could do both; mildly. The light was dim and his body was weak and shaky.

With a pulse of shock the boy saw out of the corner of his eye, one of the shadows crawling up behind him and he jumped away as best he could with a cry, avoiding its pounce.

Insults rained down from twistedly familiar voices, practically vibrating out of the walls of the buildings around him.

"Little ******!"

"Why's your head so big? I bet it's cause you fill it with stupid, creeper, emo stuff, don't you?"

"My poor, insane son..."

The sound of the changed, hateful voices made Dib grip fistfuls of his shirt and twist them as he looked all around for any escape. He couldn't find anything and their words got more personal.

Whimpering, he covered his ears. They were peering at him now out of the darkness, ready to destroy.

"LEAVE ME ALONE!"

Turning away, Dib tried to run, he kept tripping, stumbling, flailing his arms to keep balance as he breathed in ridiculously heavy pants, especially for how slowly he seemed to be going. He was too weak. He couldn't get away. He couldn't get away. He couldn't get away!

"LEAVE ME ALONE! LEAVE ME ALONE!"

The tears were falling now. Dib gasped brokenly as he continued failed attempts to flee, the blood covered gory beasts watching his helplessness in clear amusement.

He ran, stumbled, tripped, fell, crawled, dragged himself.

The ground cracked against him as some fat, oozing thing with cut-up, bloodied limbs, rushed forward to trip him, knocking his shins bruisingly. A bully's laugh; Torque's; spilled garbled from its throat.

Dib shrieked, wailing as he hit the jagged cement and they all closed in, laughing.

"What are you worth boy? Nothing."

A hard and heavy blow slammed into his back, almost snapping his neck as he was thrown forward with the force of it, half-bouncing twice before his body slid to a stop.

His whole face stung and he could feel thick liquid running down his neck.

:\\\:

Zim's gnomes watched closely, lasers charged and ready, as 'top highly dangerous target number one' was rushed inside, cradled in the arms of the plastic, lawn-decorations' master.

The computer made an odd cough as the conqueror kicked open the door, but was otherwise silent.

"I GO TO MY LAB NOW! COMPUTER! PREPARE THE MED-BAY!"

With dramatic enthusiasm fueled by his worry for his new... Hmm, he'd have to find a word for what Dib was to him, besides just generally 'his'; Zim leapt onto a specific tile, a circle outlining itself around him as the lift floated down into the base.

As they descended, the Irken took off his disguise as best he could, having to shift Dib around in his arms to do so. Eventually he just set the boy on the floor for a moment to take out his contacts, putting them in the storage area of his pak.

Ahh, how good it felt to be free of the itchy things! His unconcealed eyes lit the elevator with a sweet-candy-red, and his antenna lifted and twitched to shake off the crushed feeling in hiding under a wig all day.

Dib's face was still, unmoving, brows lowered in concern or pain or fear, putting forth no energy to do a thing.

After staring a moment, Zim leaned back against the walls of the tube, then slid into a sitting position, beside his smeet-ling.

Large firey orbs watched consideringly, as Dib's chest rose...fell...rose... fell; even and rhythmic but not too fast. It was rather calming, like watching a tank of fish.

Dumb, boring things; fish. Didn't taste good. Useless. Why would anyone want those little water-worms?

Pulling his knees up to himself, Zim hugged his arms around his own, bent legs, laying his chin on his knees. They continued their decent and Zim continued to watch Dib sleeping on his side, word-less but flooded with considerations.

He was unnerved about some of the things he was feeling. For the past year, sometimes Zim's reactions to things had seemed... off, to him; simply because he reacted instead of remaining uncareing.

Seeing Dib in that asylum or whatever, had caused an unnatural waterfall. It was like coming inside with numb limbs in winter, and thawing them out in seconds by running through fire.

Zim had always been; or was supposed to be, and assumed he was; numb. He was Irken; by definition- emotionally numb. His species had emotional filters to monitor brain and hormonal activity.

Zim had been feeling a lot, a frightening amount really- but he hadn't noticed until now.

His kind were allowed to feel anger, pride, a little bit of happiness for doing what they were supposed to, a little excitement, only the tiniest bit of fear, and plenty of triumph and territorial-ness.

He'd been feeling those things, nothing extremely taboo, which was probably why he hadn't thought about it. But the strength he'd felt them at was unheard of.

For a year or two now, something had been wrong. The first time he'd bothered to go comfort Dib, he had later scanned himself to make sure he wasn't sick. Comfort another being? RIDICULOUS! DISGUSTING!

DEFECTIVE

Defective.

Zim bit his knee, eyes showing a bit of worry, looking right past the boy laying beside him.

Defective. He couldn't seem to think past that point. He'd stopped on it.

HE WASN'T DEFECTIVE...

The control brains lied!

... He wasn't defective... He couldn't be.

The elevator dinged, and opened, but Zim didn't move. He had a lot to think about, and it wasn't like the computer was un-lazy-enough to close the doors and move the lift back up if Zim didn't exit soon.

Dib needed to be gotten to the medical bay, but he seemed to be sleeping away like a rock. He'd be okay right? Sleep was healthy for humans right? Zim could think for a couple more minutes...

:\\\:

Zim didn't have the slightest clue of what Dib was going through.

:\\\:

Snakes weren't an animal Dib would fancy as a pet. Or tarantulas. He certainly did NOT have a fear of snakes and spiders that would make him jump around squealing; he actually found them fascinating. After watching so many hundreds of alien movies though, and with how such oddities affected his dreamscape, he... really didn't exactly care for them.

It was green, slimy, as thick around as a semi-young tree-trunk, and was coiled so tightly around the little boy's ribs that they were snapping one by one.

Dib choked out painful sounds but couldn't breath enough to say one intelligent thing. He was hanging upside down somehow, part of the enormous serpent coiled around around the rafters of the old building; Dib had no idea how he'd wound up there and right now it was the least of his worries.

Long, curved fangs were sunk so deep into his shoulders they grated on bone, venom flowing in, turning his draining blood into acid inside himself. Dib was hanging high off the ground, upside down, being choked, and poisoned, as his blood flowed out of multiple wounds.

Red dripped down, splattering on the dark floorboards so far below.

Dib could only cough and squirm, tears practically squeezed out of his eyes by the enormous, coiled reptile.

His insides were exploding, his lungs burned, begging for release. Everything hurt. He could never get used to these things.

The monster let go so suddenly that at first it didn't register. The next thing he knew he was plummeting for the floor. The scenery blurred and brightened. His entire sense of what was happening around him dimmed to nothing again. He felt almost like he was floating. Slowly, so it seemed to be just one nerve cell at a time, the boy began to feel again, and wonder if he was laying on something.

Oh! His head! His head hurt so bad! He had to grit his teeth. It pounded; like hammer repeatedly beating against the top of his skull. Crack. Crack. Crack.

Aside from that, all consciousness was swirling and broken, swinging or undulating between... Something... and something else. Were his eyes closed, or open? He wasn't even sure.

:\\\:

What about his IDENTITY? Had he put his mission in jeopardy just for this, this MONKEY? This stupid little earth-native!

He'd shown his mechanical legs twice. He didn't think the mental people had noticed, but they COULD HAVE.

This had better be worth it. Dib had better be grateful. Zim grumbled something through his teeth.

There was one thing Zim had felt, that he knew was against Irken law. He liked Dib. He didn't understand how, or why, but he felt such an empathy for him.

Such a thing could subject him to horrendous, gory punishments...

He couldn't let the tallest know!

Yes! Of course! A secret! Then everything would be fiiiiinnnee...

The very idea of keeping a secret from one's tallest was heavily punishable as well, and any normal Irken shouldn't have been capable of the idea. Their thought monitor should have destroyed the brain impulse before they could see it clearly in their heads.

"I'm not defective! Zim is... Zim is just..."

He felt so lost. He had a lot to worry about.

**"The med bay's been ready for several minutes."** The computer's voice sounded irritated.

Irken computers weren't supposed to be able to show any more emotion then a normal Irken- less even.

Gir was screaming upstairs, and Zim looked upwards at the sound, tilting his head back as if to see through the ceiling of tangled wires and limbs for the house's AI.

Zim wasn't supposed to feel, but he did. His computer seemed to be developing a very sarcastic personality, and SIR's absolutely WERE NOT supposed to behave as Gir did.

Zim couldn't shake the concept that they'd been thrown here like trash.

...

Oh well. Zim had already spent more time then... Probably ever before, sitting and thinking. Time to get back to work! Pushing all the ideas he'd gone over to the back of his mind, and putting his narcissistic but eager and rather cheerful personality back up front, the Irken gathered Dib back into his arms, and headed for his infirmary. Worries over whether he should or shouldn't be helping Dib were annihilated. This was what he'd come home to do. Dib was his. He wasn't interested in changing that right now. Not after all he'd done to get him.

He was just concerned about the way his pak was behaving.

Dib had no outer injuries, but his brain seemed to have something massively wrong with it. The alien frowned, wondering of his technology, meant for unfeeling Irkens, would even be able to work on an emotional, hormonal human boy.

:\\\:

Dib was drifting back into consciousness, at last, slowly, like tiny, shallow waves pushing something up on a shore, pulling it back, pushing it forward, pulling it back. The sensation was gentle, not exactly lulling yet not exactly annoying. But Dib was tired of having his mind tossed around like a toy by things he had no control over.

He felt chilled, and shivered. He felt something soft underneath him, but couldn't make himself move yet. His head still pulsed like a mildly stabbed heart, not broken, but bringing pain with each thump. He was hurting.

As soon as he could collect his thoughts; and this time he could do so more easily, he tried to figure out his surroundings. He couldn't open his eyes, he didn't dare- with a headache this bad, and besides, he could feel that his glasses were still missing. His eyes would do him little good.

The thing he was laying on was soft, but not warm, and the silence was left un-disturbed. There was no one here. He was all alone. It was WORSE then the bus-ride. Despairingly he whimpered.

Where had Zim gone? Zim was with him last time! He KNEW he was!

Where was he? Did he just dump him somewhere? Dib NEEDED him... didn't he? Zim sure made him feel less afraid at the very least. Zim COULDN'T have left him here!

Dib didn't really want to die. Certainly not like this! Surely Zim wouldn't let him die like this! Zim would kill him himself if he wanted Dib dead! That was like, their deal. If something else was threatening the lives of the two, besides each other, then Zim and Dib HELPED one another! It was like, part of their little system! One of their rules!

Dib opened his mouth, barely managing to get out a raspy cry, with his dry, dehydrated, cracking throat. Talking hurt. He needed water. He REALLY needed water RIGHT NOW.

He got no response to his noise. Despite all pain he tried again, louder this time. He was doing his best to form the alien's name but it only came out as an estranged, scratched gasping.

Surely the alien was somewhere nearby. He COULDN'T have abandoned Dib. Dib NEEDED Zim.

He was helpless right now, and still not even in his right mind.

A sharp woosh cut the air and Dib flinched instinctively with an uncomfortable noise. What was that!

:\\\:

The door to the med bay opened with a soft, airy sound and Zim strutted in holding several things he'd had to get from other rooms, that might work better for diagnosing the human.

He set them on a counter, sorting them into the right little piles, when his antenna twitched at an inquiring whimper.

Turning in time to see his little pet shift on the cushioned platform, Zim grinned, leaving his work momentarily.

Dib yelped, eyes snapping wide open when he felt jostled; something climbing up onto the soft thing beside him.

Panicked he tried to look around, Dib tried to turn his head and see who it was, but everything was blurred and spun nauseatingly so that his empty stomach swirled too. His headache slammed in hard enough to almost knock him out, and Dib shut his eyes tight and bit his lip, trembling lightly, making short, breathy, worried noises. What was that? Oh please don't let it hurt him...

Zim almost chuckled, sitting next to Dib cross-legged where he'd pulled himself up. The boy was such a funny little dependent smeet.

Irkens didn't mate. They didn't have children. They didn't even form much of ANY kind of partnership. They didn't have friends. They didn't care for other beings.

So to Zim, the idea of taking care of Dib, almost playing like the human was his own smeet, pretending to be like his parent unit, it sounded fun; neat!

Zim blamed Gir making him watch nature documentaries for such feelings.

He could probably learn a ton about humans though, and with training, Dib could become practically Irken.

"Hello Dib-ling! Zim really thinks you should stop sleeping so much."

Claws; rounded, gentle, polite, friendly ones, NOT terrifying nightmare ones; combed through Dib's hair. That voice- oh thank God! Slowly the boy opened his eyes again.

"Zim!"

At the look of sheer relief on Dib's face at his presence, Zim couldn't help but grin all the wider.

"Yes! Eh, you have... inquired that... three times now. I am Zim. Zim is here."

So Dib wasn't left to die. He knew Zim would never do that to him. He was safe now. Or at least that was what he thought in his deranged state of mind.

Zim was the only person he knew, who hadn't developed into a monster in his mind, so of course in his state of insanity, he saw Zim as safety.

Weakly, appearing almost shy, Dib shifted so he could see Zim better, pupils resting on the green alien, and his mouth pulled into a cautious smile at the frightening, fang-filled grin of the other. He felt little fear. If anything, THIS monster's appearance soothed his traumatized conscience. He wanted to reach out and touch Zim, but his arms were stuck.

Glancing sharply down at the straitjacket, then back at his self-proclaimed 'master', Dib put on a pleading face.

"Ah, yes. Heh, forgot about that."

Dib smiled and fidgeted in a content way while the invader cut the straitjacket sleeves with his metal spider-limbs.

After what he'd been through, the gleaming metal didn't faze the far-less-then-sane-boy at all. If anything Dib was wondering if he could chew on one and see how it tasted, like a toddler. He was not well at all.

Zim was just glad the ache in his chest had left now that Dib was no longer in agony; the boy looked happy, smiling and humming softly.

He looked so _cute_, and _innocent_. Zim chuckled darkly at the plans and ideas coming to his mind.


	5. Don't wanna talk

**I disappear for a week and seem to lose all my readers. DX Sorry about that. Didn't stockpile enough chapters for this fic I guess. You'll get two chapters per week, around the weekend, until I've stockpiled.**

**I... Have no reviews to respond to... For the last chapter. *is sad* Review please? *puppy eyes***

**:\\\:**

As soon as Zim had cut the restraints, Dib pulled his arms in front of his face, analyzing his fingers as if to ensure they were all there, and looking over the raggedy, torn sleeve-ends of the straitjacket. Bits of string hung here and there and the whole rim was jagged like the edge of a serrated knife due to the hateful way Zim had cut it. Dib shivered briefly, staring, expression thoughtful.

"There. Now you can move your arms. Isn't that better Dib-ling?" The Irken coo-ed.

As he put away his spider legs, Zim leaned to the side, reaching up ever so carefully, lightly, and quickly, sticking a small pod shaped device on the back of the human's head when he wasn't paying attention. Too easy. The boy seemed to have very little notice of what was going on around him.

Dib just nodded to what Zim said happily looking around the room, sitting up now. Then he grabbed the bottom of the straitjacket, yanking it over his head, and tossing it away; onto the floor. He wanted nothing to do with it. He couldn't put his finger on why, but it made him edgy. The cloth billowed like a sheet-ghost to the dark-purple, flat surface of metal.

Zim watched with mild surprise, perhaps not liking what his pet had chosen to do, but didn't move to stop him.

"You're going to get cold without that, human."

All Dib wore underneath was that silly, blue T-shirt with the grey, numb-looking neutral expression 'smiley' face. It looked as detached as Dib did and Zim wanted to shred it off, replace it with something more... alive, as if the shirt had power over the human's mood.

Dib stared up at the cords on the ceiling, head tipped back to look at them, giving no suggestion what-so-ever that he heard Zim. In fact it seemed clear he hadn't heard a thing.

Sighing and shaking his head, Zim was about to drop the matter, and get to diagnosing Dib, when he happened to see the boy's pale, thin neck, so completely exposed with the human staring upwards.

The neck was an obvious, easy-to-see place, and vulnerable too. Marks of control were usually made to adorn the neck, like collars, or, among other cultures, tattoos, or branding marks- like scars from burns or cuts.

Nothing lasted longer then a good, dark scar. Scars were permanent by definition.

Something like that would make the most pretty, colorful mix of blues and purples and blacks on human skin.

It would contrast Dib's pale white hide beautifully.

Idly, Zim wondered what he had at his immediate disposal to make such a mark.

Dib was his territory. Zim wanted it clear, especially if there were other humans about, that Dib belonged to someone that no man would want to mess with. Dib needed protection. He was but a semi-smeet. What if Zim wasn't there to guard him sometime?

The alien had heard of older humans doing sick, sick things to others smaller or weaker then themselves. Dib was strong, fit, and fast, but against a group, as humans often did their evil deeds in... If Zim wasn't there... They could really hurt his little smeet-ling.

Zim ran his tongue over his sharp teeth, still sitting so close to his pet.

Alien teeth marks, deep scars like shark teeth, clearly unnatural, surely it would hold off the predators among the boy's own race, like a warning sign.

Dib looked back over at Zim, offering that innocent smile again, kicking his feet idly.

Zim shook his head and got down off the examination bed.

"I am going to examine you to find out what went wrong in your head-meats and fix them."

A pause ensued, then Dib replied softly; "Okay."

Pleasantly surprised by the subservience of the human, Zim turned to stare for a moment.

Look at him. Dib was pleased by Zim's presence- pacified, dependent upon him, and acceptant of his fate. At least right now in his current state.

Zim won! He won, he won, he won!

:\\\:

"Well Dib-ling,"

Zim stood in front of the now rest-less human, three digit hands on his proud hips. Dib had found a circle-shaped, purple and red container for a special medicine, and was playing with the buttons for entering the un-lock code, seeming amused by the beeping noises, tongue sticking out of his mouth in adorable concentration.

Sneaking around him, Zim swiftly removed the little brain scanning pod, again without notice from the one it was attached to. Dib had never known, and probably never would, not that it mattered.

According to the computer scans... Dib's mind was unreadable to Irken equipment, especially at this time. It was touchy and sensitive like a cornered animal. The mini-bot on Dib's head COULD drill and probe in, but that would be painful and damaging and Zim refused to allow such things to happen to his own.

"You have been very frustrating so far." Scowling, Zim pouted, hands on his small but mildly curved hips again in his commanding stance.

Dib did not look up from his new toy, pushing the buttons.

'beep, beep, beep, boop, boop, beep, boop' Went the little container's computerized lock system.

Dib laughed soundlessly. Zim's eye twitched. After a second or two, the alien ruthlessly snatched the container away.

"GIMMY THAT!"

He did not need another Gir running around. Not at all. He wanted Dib strictly as Dib. And Dib was not acting like Dib.

The human yelped as the invader pulled away the center of his attention. Shoulders hunching, he scooted away, face apologetic. His bright eyes were wide and held a punished look.

"Sorry." He really, REALLY didn't want to upset his only friend and the one he owed his life to.

Zim didn't hear the soft apology. Giving a long sigh, the invader shook his head before putting the container back where it belonged.

"Zim has yet to discover what is wrong with you. In all my amazingness, it still alludes me. I AM ZIM! How am I supposed to find out what is damaging your skull-flesh?"

Turning back to his pet, Zim was able to dispel the worry that he wasn't being listened too, like before- His pride inflated to see the boy resting his chin on his knees hugging his legs, watching his master closely.

"Good boy." Zim purred smirking. Yes, Dib SHOULD pay his every and full attention to Zim. All was well. He just needed to train Dib to continue this obedient behavior once no longer insane.

Like a puppy, Dib gave Zim a wide-eyed, confused look, tilting his head to one side. 'good boy'? Everything was confusing to him now, speech being one of the worst, and what the Irken said seemed not to have any real reference to anything.

'good... boy...?'

...

Praise, perhaps? For him? He was a 'boy'... at least... he was ALMOST sure that word was in reference to him, or... his... kind?

And good was... good...

So Zim was praising him for something?

Bashfully he hunched his shoulders and scratched the back of his neck, looking away. The twisted affection, just someone speaking nice to him for once, seemed like the most flattering compliment, especially with his current state. It made pink tint his cheeks.

While Dib was caught up with musings, Zim strutted over and gave a little jump, whirling around, falling to sit next to his human.

Dib leapt to attention with a squeak at the sudden jostling, and closeness of the other, but calmed back down quickly at seeing Zim's somehow gentle and affectionate seeming fang-filled smile. It was almost wrong how such a foreign creature could make him feel safe... and how beautiful Zim seemed to him right now.

Dib offered a cautious, quiet, shy smile back.

"Tsk, tsk, tsk." Zim shook his head, clicking his tongue, and Dib watched confused, wondering how to immigrate the sound.

"How is Zim to find out what is wrong with you Dib?" Earnestly, Zim gave him a concerned look.

The obvious problem was that Dib was insane. He was changed, clearly traumatized and frightened, willing to obey anyone who'd play guardian to him, because he was helpless at the moment.

"What scared you so badly earth monkey?"

Zim knew nothing of human psychology, how these things happened.

Dib stared at him, appearing mindlessly happy and content, kicking his legs which hung over the edge of the platform again.

Zim frowned, but didn't scold him. He opened his mouth to attempt his inquiries again, but was interrupted.

"I like your eyes." Sweet sincerity was present in the statement. Innocently the black haired boy smiled, and looked away again, blushing. "You have beautiful eyes."

It was a first attempt at gratefulness. In the human's messed up mind, so many people had passed on by, when he lay suffering, that he MUST be something of low value. There was something wrong with him, it made him a 'freak', something he'd been called outright, so many times. Everyone else was above him. Better then him. He couldn't hope to gain their appreciation and care. At least, that was the feeling that had pestered his subconscious, and was now reigning supreme with his... Condition.

Zim was being so nice to him. For Dib to show his awe of the -perfect- alien creature who had saved him, was the very least he could do.

Or perhaps he really had no reason at all for saying Zim had beautiful eyes. He said it, none the less.

For a moment the alien just stared, surprised by the random compliment. Then he puffed up, beaming.

"Yes, I am incredible." He nodded, enjoying the surge of tingling victory through his veins. The boy was so cute. His former enemy... So vulnerable... So subservient and sweet...

He didn't want to hurt Dib, but it was in any irken's nature to want to assert fierce control over their territory and possessions.

Even back in their history where they still had mates and reproduced naturally, it was all rather 'rough love.'

Somehow the thought of leaving a deep, permanent bite mark somewhere on Dib still pestered the alien warrior.

Zim forced the thoughts away for what would not be the first, or last, time.

Best not to scare the smeet when he seemed so trusting.

The boy was looking away, kicking his feet again.

"Why did you keep fainting before?"

Zim continued to dig for information. He wanted to learn what Dib's problem was.

"Hmm?"

Dib looked confused, unkept hair spikes flopping into his eyes and down on the sides like puppy ears.

"You keep... What's the human word? Sleeping?"

That got Dib's attention. That last word.

His eyes widened and he looked away, shoulders raising again. Zim could see he was getting somewhere and enjoyed a feeling of triumph.

"I think you sleep to much. It makes you boring."

Dib nodded. He didn't think it was boring at all, in a very BAD way, so he could happily accept not sleeping as much.

Zim scowled, seeing Dib's turning away as refusal to comply to the irken's wishes. "Look at Zim when I'm talking to you!"

Dib whipped his head around to look at Zim, apology written all over his face.

"Okay... Sorry."

So cute and obedient and... Zim forced himself to hold back the 'fondness' emotion.

"Why do you suddenly fall asleep like that?"

Dib slowly looked away again. He drew his legs up to his chest and hugged them, pressing his face into his knees. It felt strange without his glasses against him.

Dib shook his head, forehead rubbing against his kneecaps.

He didn't want to think about 'sleeping'. He REALLY didn't want to think about what came with that.

Not understanding, Zim growled and Dib flinched at the sound.

"Diiiiib..." The conqueror's voice carried warning.

Still hiding his face, the human shook his head again and started to rock back and forth, hugging his legs tighter. Quietly he whimpered.

"No, y-you don't understand... they... They... wanna... kill... Hurt... me... They..."

He whimpered louder and shook his head harder, rocking more as his voice cracked, almost starting to shiver, and not from cold.

Red eyes widened, then narrowed into furious slits. Someone was messing with his human? He knew Dib had been bullied, but since Zim had decided he wanted Dib, he thought he'd mostly put a stop to that- via a couple of discrete murders.

This was exactly why he wanted to put a mark of ownership on the human somewhere.

Well, with or without said mark, the earthling's attackers would learn that only one creature could cause harm to the pale skinned boy with the soft, spiky hair and reddish-brown-honey-gold eyes. Zim.

Even humans get angry if another toys with their property. Irkens were many times more territorial and vengeance loving. Zim would enjoy torturing them. Vicious ideas were already flooding his mind.

"Tell Zim who is bothering you."

Dib ignored the ire-full command, busy with his display of distress and trauma, curled up and swaying frightfully back and forth.

He could feel them. Dib could feel them surrounding him, ready to hurt him, tear him apart. Urgently the earthling shook his head. If he just pushed them out of mind, stopped thinking about them, about himself and his fears, found something else for his focus besides the beasts and his own righteous self-pity...

"Dib human... Tell Zim."

Perhaps he was only scaring the human worse? Zim could feel that need to comfort coming on again. Maybe going with that would work better. Dib's sanity level was quickly rolling downhill again, already to the point where he wasn't really hearing Zim.

Something snaked around his waist and the human yelped loudly, trying to jump away but he was restrained by his captor. He was still too weak to struggle worth anything.

For a few seconds he was practically howling as he writhed in terror, before at last calming back down, panting now, to sink down against Zim's chest, whimpering. He'd almost got dragged back again. Somehow this time they'd been kept at bay.

The human wanted nothing more then to snuggle into the warm, caring being holding him secure in the world of the living and sane right now.

"Zim..." He whined loudly, pressing in close, nuzzling his face into the irken's chest.

Zim didn't know what to make of it all, he just knew the boy was clinging to him now that he had use of his arms, squeezing the air out of the 'lung' part of his squiddily spooch.

"Calm down smeet."

"Donwan talk about ih... r'll come get me andrag me back..."

Dib whined loudly, cuddling and curling up more, clinging harder to his green-skinned life-line. He made very little sense, with his mumbling, and Zim was aching mildly from the way he was getting pushed backwards due to the cuddling, but, for some reason, he allowed it.

"Zim will just bomb them! You'll never see them again!" He nodded, but Dib chocked and almost sobbed.

"I DON'T WANNA TALK ABOUT IT!"

He needed something else to put his attention on or they'd COME GET HIM.

Zim flinched and growled for being yelled at. That was uncalled for. But the Dib-smeet was brain damaged. Zim chose not to punish him.

Well, if he couldn't get a clear scan of his brain, they might as well head up to a more normal-earth, happy, bright part of the base, and avoid messing with the human's mind even more.

:\\\:

The hardened shell Zim had simply taken to be Dib's personality had fallen off in place of something more ignorantly, blissfully happy, trusting, curious, easily amused, friendly, sweet, and needing to please and be loved. However he was easily scared, and seemed to have frequent mood-swings. Aside from the last traits, Zim began to wonder, as just a shot-in-the-dark sort of theory; was this what Dib was like as a child, or, younger then he was now? Zim still thought of him as a smeet, but was it? Was his personality de-forming, from his trauma, rewinding itself? Was this how he was years before Zim had ever met him? Before Dib had realized how hated he was, and that he couldn't please anyone, or ever be loved?

He was a defect in his own culture- because he was superior! It made no sense...

For those filthy humans to, to defile this, this sweet... Zim couldn't think of better words besides innocence, happiness, and wanting-to-make-people-happy-ness; he would TORTURE Dib's abusers.

Zim wasn't supposed to have an appreciation for these things. He was supposed to loathe them even more then the things he illegally loved in the older Dib; power, cleverness, swiftness and strength, defiance, and a firm will. Power, cleverness, speed, and strength were normal things for an Irken to strive for and admire, but not in another species. Defiance and a firm, unbending will, were firm no-nos.

On the trip up to the house, Dib trotted along, determined to walk as close beside Zim as physically possible- and hold his hand, out of fear and, well, he liked Zim. He liked him a lot and was responding as was natural. He was being sweet on the alien.

The Irken felt he shouldn't allow it, certainly shouldn't enjoy it...

But he did, to both.


	6. You have a very happy arm Mr Squirrel

**Okay, so, if you didn't read the note on my profile, I'm afraid this is dying in my head. For now, I may just leave it, add to it once in a while, but don't get your hopes and expectations up. It's possible I may take this whole thing down and entirely re-do it. I don't like the way it's come out, and I'm scrounging for ideas for things to happen. This chapter took a ridiculous amount of time to write and I'm still not happy with it.**

**Yeah, so... Enjoy?**

**:\\\:**

Aside from quietly mumbling to himself, the human was silent for the trip up to the house. Zim continued to allow Dib to hold his hand, with a half forced look of disgust. The boy HAD been through a lot. May as well cut him a break, let him have this scrap of comfort. Besides, if Zim pulled his -glorious- hand away, his smeet-ling would probably give him that heart-broken look that made Zim feel his stupid desire to comfort Dib and make it better- which would result in allowing the hand-holding again. So he wouldn't get anywhere.

The two went up on the lift, and Dib looked around at the wires and buttons on the walls, bright eyes wide in his usual fascination. He was still mumbling, consistently, though Zim couldn't understand it. The human was talking to himself again, but in a way that was less sane then usual.

The 'slave' remained close to his 'master' at all times, pressing against Zim and almost stepping on his feet. He seemed to desperately need Zim's touch and felt no shame in clinging to the tunic, and any other part of, the annoyed but sympathetic alien.

The lift whirred softly, and Zim fidgeted, feeling awkward with the silence and Dib having lost his mind, but not able to think of much to say.

Whenever the boy jumped at something that scared him he'd squeeze Zim's hand tighter. Though the invader didn't understand this, Zim tried squeezing back once, and was rewarded for his efforts with a grateful, shy sort of smile from his pet. Reflexively he grinned, victorious. He was figuring this 'comforting' thing out!

The lift pulled up into the house and stopped. Dib looked around sharply, surprised at the scenery change, but thankfully, was able to accept it without losing his head, flailing around, and screaming.

Now it was Zim's turn to grab Dib's wrist firmly, so he could lead him somewhere. He was pleasantly impressed with the obedience of his human. Only the very gentlest pull was required, and Dib would immediately be paying attention, and trotting right along next to him. It almost made Zim want to show off, strut around with Dib so people could see. He wanted to show his tallest what he'd done! Look! Look! He'd won! He'd won! After so long... It was still sinking in. Right now they were only crossing the small room, not exactly going down a catwalk for everyone to marvel at the accomplishment of the smallest invader. Still though, Zim grinned.

He thought he felt happy.

"Sit."

Dramatically, the invader pointed at the big, maroon couch. Dib just stared for several seconds, then looked quite blankly back at Zim. Heavily the Irken sighed, shoving the boy a little more harshly then was nessecary. Dib caught the drift, hunching his shoulders and lowering his eyes in apology, and slowly climbed onto the couch, to sit facing the green being. Pulling gently on Zim's hand, which he still clutched, Dib gave him a sweet, pleading look, glancing at the spot next to him on the couch, but Zim shook his head and pried off the boy's fingers, reclaiming his green hand from his human's grip, holding it up against his chest like something injured or dirtied. He'd put up with Dib's touches, but he wanted it to stop now. He wanted use of his limbs and fingers back. He also didn't intend to just sit there with his human. He'd brought Dib up here for him to be entertained while the conqueror took care of some things in his base.

"No Dib."

The boy gave him a very hurt, and slightly frightened expression and turned away sadly, eyes down on his feet, arms going to hug himself as he slid down against the back of the couch.

Zim picked up the TV remote off the floor where his stupid SIR had apparently left it, turned on the TV, then handed the controller to Dib.

"Amuse yourself. Zim will be right back, I must check something. Make screamy noises if you need something."

It had been too long since the conqueror last checked some of his experiments, so while Dib stared cluelessly at the black, rectangular object the alien had shoved into his hand, Zim went back to the lift and headed down.

The boy watched him go, with a sinking sence of desperation, until the top of the alien's head was out of sight again. He whimpered, swallowed, and pressed back into the corner made by the enormous piece of furniture's arm rest and back. He was all alone again...

What was this devise he'd been given though?

Without Zim it was hard to keep his mind off self-pity and fear, but he could concentrate on THIS.

Zim would come back... Right?

Besides, the beautiful alien creature had given him a nice little box covered in buttons to play with. Dib felt ashamed to think so complaining-ly. According to everyone else, he was no one. Zim, who somehow seemed to be the most important, awe-striking SOMEONE he could think of, had saved his life. He shouldn't be whining about being left for just a minute. Zim had been so nice to him so far, and he was nothing. Nobody.

If he'd learned nothing else in life, he had learned THAT. That he was nothing. He hated it but was coming to accept his fate.

With a defeated sigh, Dib snuggled back into the couch again, then started playing with the remote buttons.

He quickly learned, after a scenario that scared the heck out of him and hurt his ears, to leave the volume down low and not touch the buttons that affected it. After nearly messing up the entire TV, though un-excitingly, Dib finally wound up calmly flipping through channels.

He wasn't able to follow stories well, or, in all truth, even the concept of TV seemed mildly disorienting, so if anything, he would be mildly interested in this or that for a minute, then get frustrated, not understanding, and change to something else.

A little while passed like this. Dib began to feel drowsy.

:\\\:

"HI MARY!"

Dib jumped up with a cry, no longer almost-falling-asleep, at the high-pitched shriek originating close beside him. He only just kept himself from falling off the couch with the power of his lurch, bracing his hands on part of the cushion. He didn't really bother to see what had made the noise. He hadn't seen anyone come up, and that wasn't Zim's voice. He was scarred, he didn't think to bother with identification with that bit of adrenaline in control.

Immediately the human shoved his face back into the couch corner, curling up and hugging himself, going off the childish train of thought that- 'if you can't see it, it can't see you.'

Sadly, that turned out not to be true at all. At least not in this situation.

Gir, the ever-optimistic, little tin can of a robot, squealed and clapped his hands, running around to the front of the couch, from where he'd been hiding off to the side to creep up on the visitor. He hopped up, getting right in Dib's face.

"I said HHII MAARRYY!"

Dib flinched and whimpered, curling up tighter before lifting his head just barely enough to try and see who it was that was trying to make him go deaf by screaming right into his ears. He thought he recognized the voice.

When he saw the blurred, general form of a very huggable-sized green puppy, a shape he knew even without his glasses, he paused, releaved, calming down slowly, and even looking curious. He raised one eyebrow, squinting to see Gir better, missing his lenses with a passion.

Gir cocked his head and grinned at the boy analyzing him.

"I think you're a spaghetti-O-pea-pod!"

The robot clapped his hands again and giggled, while Dib watched in mild confusion. This thing seemed friendly at least. And he thought he remembered seeing it before...

Maybe it would be nice enough to keep him company?

"What... Uh...What, did you, say I am?"

"A sgetti-O! It's a noodle-y thing shaped like this;" Gir made a circle with his fingers, smiling widely, his little pink tongue hanging out of his mouth.

Dib looked down at his own body and frowned in confusion. He didn't look like that... He wasn't round at all... He was... Almost... If anything... More of a strait line... Like most people were.

At this moment his skeleton was showing a little too well; he was starved. He wasn't rounded in any way, shape, or form.

He shrugged off confusion to ask a question of his own.

"You... You're a ... Puppy, right?"

If he remembered correctly, with his screwed up brain, puppies were nice and friendly and you could pet and hold them. He thought that sounded nice.

Gir giggled all the louder and clapped his hands. He did not answer Dib's question, leaving the human to flounder in mild frustration at all the illogical things spewing from the 'puppy's' mouth.

"Let's play doctor! You can be the squirrel who ate a rock!"

Dib raised a hand, hesitating to call for Gir to wait, deeply upset when his new freind ran away. That meant he'd be alone again, but then Gir ran right back in with a purse covered in what looked like diamonds, probably worth a crap-load of money from the appearance.

"Shiiiinnnyyyyy." Gir slurred as he walked back over, petting the purse. "I traded my moose friend a walnut for it." Dib nodded. It WAS shiny. Pretty. He cocked his head in interest at the way the light caught on the sparkly bits.

"You're gunna be the squirrel who ate a rock. It's a game! IMA DOCTER!"

Dib thought for a moment, then consented with a soft; "Okay." He still didn't understand what was going on.

Games were nice. It couldn't hurt right?

The carrying case covered in precious jewels was emptied by the little dog, and the objects that hit the floor made quite the assortment.

A half-eaten cupcake, a can of black oil, which spilled all over the floor; Dib picked his feet up off the tiles and curled up on the couch, scrunching up his face at the mess; markers, a screwdriver, a plastic shrimp, and plenty more.

"Let me see your arm mister!"

Gir suddenly leapt up, and sat next to Dib, snatching his closest arm. He'd brought a hot-pink marker from the pile on the floor, having left everything else to soak in the oil, and began drawing smiley faces on Dib's hand.

The boy watched for a good five minutes, then the TV got more interesting and he completely forgot about the robot who was now proceeding to draw the smilies all the way up Dib's arm. It was almost oddly therapeutic and relaxing. Gir wasn't hurting him, it was just a gentle, monotonous, repetitive motion against the nerves of his limb.

The boy was just glad to have company.

"All done! You have a very happy arm- AND HERE'S THAT ROCK!"

Dib looked back down to see a picture of something lumpy, apparently the 'rock', drawn on his arm in hot pink, among a plethora of smiles.

"You ate that rock." Gir nodded at his own words, an action that mimicked his master Zim; nodding at his own words as if they were oh-so-clever.

Dib didn't remember eating a rock, and didn't understand why the things he ate would show up on his arm- he was pretty sure that didn't happen, but again, he didn't question.

"Okay... Thank you?"

"Now we gotta fix the rest of you squirrel. The hobo said so. He gave me a race car."

Dib gave Gir a funny look. He was still too detached to understand much. The 'puppy' went to get more 'doctor supplies', and Dib looked back to the TV.

:\\\:

Plenty more minutes passed, enough for Gir to cause Dib a lot of confusion and a bit of distress.

Zim exited the lift, coming back up into the house. He'd finished checking all his experiments and plans, and had decided to be generous and put a few in suspended animation, to wait until Dib was more stable so he could spend more time with his endeared pet, and not be forced to use every second monitoring chemical levels and what-not.

Zim's shark-toothed smile quickly fell, replaced by a flabbergasted look, when he stepped into the entrance and living room.

Dib sat on the couch, looking uncomfortable, and unhappy, slouched down and pouting.

He was staring at a rubber duck Gir had given him at some point, which he was holding in one hand. His expression said he was trying to figure out what it was or why he was hanging on to it, and he wasn't deducing anything, which was starting to frustrate him.

More importantly though, the SIR had taken the human's shirt off, drawn rainbow scribbles all over his chest, and was, at this moment, cracking eggs on Dib's head, and pouring chocolate milk on him, trying to keep it from dripping into his face, and lathering it into his hair.

The human looked up at the shocked alien with worried eyes and whimpered a little.

"Zim...? What's he doing?"

In a moment Zim had collected himself. He shut his mouth, which had hung open slightly at the sight he'd come up to; after all these years, Gir could still... 'surprise' him; and he marched over in a fury. His expression made Dib cower back with a look like someone pleading that 'it wasn't MY fault...'

Gir remained where he was, on the back of the couch, lathering chocolate milk into Dib's hair, until Zim literally yanked him off and threw him powerfully across the room. Dib gasped and froze, wide eyed at the violence, edging away, as Gir hit the wall with a hard, painful thwak.

"THE DIB IS MINE GIR! Go play with mini moose!"

Of course the indestructible robot got up unharmed. Zim knew he would, he wasn't really aiming to hurt him, he just didn't want anyone touching his Dib but him. He was like a mother lion with a cub, and his cub seemed unhappy due to what Gir had done.

"But we haven't used conditioner yet!"

"SILENCE AND AWAY WITH YOU!"

"CONDITIONER AND LOTION!"

"NO! NEVER! NEEEVVEER!" The Irken waved his little, green fists in the air while GIR screamed.

By now the traumatized subject of the argument was attempting to climb over the arm of the couch as soundlessly as possible to hide, his large eyes never leaving two frighteningly loud people in the room with him. Zim was scaring him, and he didn't have a clue what was going on... And why was he holding this lump of yellow plastic? He gently set the rubber duck down on the couch where he'd been sitting as he backed off.

Zim stopped responding to Gir's screams, deeming his unstable smeet more worthy of attention then his more unstable SIR unit, and whirled around to offer Dib an odd sort of smile. It was supposed to be apologetic and comforting, but Zim didn't apologize much, so it probably came off as more sickly, or his usual 'I'm going to do horrible things to you' smile. Dib whimpered again, eyebrows moving together and up, and he backed completely flat against the arm of the couch, ready to leap overboard and bolt somewhere.

"Zim's ruby-pool-eyes scanned up and down over the boy's naked chest, noting how well defined his ribs were and frowned.

"Now now human, calm down, Zim will not hurt you. -GIR!"

The little robot had been still sitting wherethrown been thrown across the room to, but quickly leapt up, saluting it's master, eyes turning red as the irken's.

"Yes my lord?"

"I command you to MAKE WAFFLES!" The alien conqueror flailed his arms dramatically as he announced his demand, and the robot's eyes went back to blue. Laughing hysterically, the android, ran into the adjacent kitchen.

"YOU WANT FRYS WITH THAT? HUH LADY?"

Zim ignored the question, and went back to his smeet-human.

"Dib- eh, where'd you go?"

Having climbed off the couch to hide behind it, Dib peeked slowly up over the arm, still looking distressed and uncomfortable.

"Quit yelling." He insisted quietly, pouting.

Zim ignored his slave's command.

"Yes, I am amazing, now-"

Leaning over the edge of the couch, Zim poked Dib's hair, which was, of course, still sopping wet from eggs and milk. The boy wiped his arm across his face to keep drips out of his eyes, and leaned away so Zim wasn't so close to him.

"Hmmm... Gir has made you very dirty. I shall have to wash you. By the time we finish that, Gir should have some disgusting earth waffles for you to feed upon. Heh, I'm so clever...COMPUTER!"

Dib flinched at the scream, and scowled unhappily. "Quit yelling!" He insisted again. Dib couldn't help the feeling that the alien was NOT going to do what he was asking.

"I'm busy." The AI grumbled back to Zim. The alien pretended he hadnt heard that.

"I need an earth bathroom with... Gyuh... Water, for MY Dib."

Dib in the meantime, was jerking his head around in worry, looking to see where the voice the Irken was talking to came from. It seemed omnipresent, there was no one he could see, it was like a deity or something and it was scaring the crap out of him. Within five seconds he was cowering behind the stronger alien for protection. From the big ghost voice.

The house computer sighed heavily. "Fine..."

Zim glared at the ceiling. Outrageous! His own AI acting like that towards him, and scaring his human pet too! Busy yeah right... More like playing online human games. Oh well.

"Good. How soon until you're done?"

"Gimmy a few minutes."

"Very well then." Putting his hands on his hips, Zim looked at Dib, then around the room.

"GIR! Where did you put the human's shirt?"

"Idunno."

Lovely. Well, that was how they'd spend some time then. Nice as Dib looked this way, Zim kept his base rather cool, good for Irkens, but too chilly for humans, and the boy already looked cold and had shivers.

:\\\:

The shirt was actually found rather quickly; by Zim of course, Dib did little beyond standing around dumbly, though after some reminding and coaxing from an irritable alien, he did make a slight, pathetic attempt to aid in the search. The blue garment was wedged between the couch cushions. Zim pulled it out, smoothed it and shook it with a sense of insistent care, then handed it to it's owner.

Dib took it, face expressionless, and slipped it over his head, engaging in a brief struggle before managing to get his head through the right hole.

Zim chuckled and stared bluntly, as the scarred, white-ish skin disappeared under the blue fabric. Dib looked back at him with that same blank, impressionable look, and Zim smiled, darkly sweet. He didn't understand his feelings; so many feelings Dib caused him... Illegal feelings. Funny, they felt so nice for being considered bad by his race.

Dib smiled back trustingly. Zim grinned even wider like a preditor with helpless prey.

"WE DON'T GOT NO PANCAKE MIX!"

The shout startled both human and Irken for a moment, Dib jumping and looking around in worry, Zim merely sighing, looking angrily at the little robot, waving at them from the kitchen.

"Very well. I will buy some. After I wash the Dib."

Zim didn't trust Gir with the shopping often. The robot could never stick to a list.

"Dib-let! Come!"

Seizing the boy's hand determinedly, Zim gave him a light tug, and Dib followed him obediently across the room, and back to the tiles that moved as a lift.

Wait...

Looking Down, the human's brow furrowed. Wasn't this where the-

The floor went down with a little jerk at the start of the decent. Dib squeaked and startled, whipping his head around and immediately pressing close to Zim, clinging again to thsores uniform. The Irken growled but held Dib's wrist tighter and allowed the earthling to cling to his arm.

They stopped after just a few short seconds, and the Irken stepped into a small, short hallway with a few round doors, leading Dib towards one of these openings.

"Zim? Where are we going?"

Ah, good. The boy was getting his voice and mind back at last. Zim smiled inwardly.

"I'm going to clean you off. Gir made a mess of you. Then I think I shall buy you some food."

"Uhhhm, clean me how?" A nervous edge was on the boy's voice, and the Irken rolled his eyes. "I dunno. I am Zim."

Making a mildly unhappy face at Zim's uncaring statement, the human looked around the room he'd been ushered into. A normal, earth-style bathroom. The computer had done a nice job.

There was a large tub and shower in a sort of outward curve in the wall. There was a long counter with a sink, a toilet in a corner, and several cupboards, and towel racks, and other general things.

"I had the house's AI construct it for you. Impressive yes?" The Irken grinned, examining his sharp, perfect little claws for a moment before turning back to the boy.

"Now sit!"

The Irken pointed with his usual drama towards the counter, but to his surprise, Dib just walked around him, grabbing a washcloth.

"It's fine... You don't need to, I can wash myself off-"

Dib felt his shoulders being grabbed fiercely and was pulled back. He squeaked, mildly startled, dropping the cloth as Zim picked his light body right up under his arms with a simple grunt of effort.

The boy was thumped down on the counter firmly, and Zim swiftly grabbed the dropped washcloth off the floor

"Zim said HE would wash you off. Do you go against the wishes of Zim?" Red eyes narrowed, angry, possessive, crushingly controlling.

Quickly Dib shook his head. Even if he was coming back to his senses a little, slowly, he still didn't DARE offend.

"Good boy." Zim's expression relaxed.

A bottle of glue lay on the counter, and Zim took off his gloves, lathering the sticky white substance into his hands. Dib watched, mildly intrigued as the substance soaked right into the pretty, green skin like a lotion, giving the irken's hands temporary protection from water.

Zim turned on the faucet, and put the square of blue fabric under the flowing water emotionlessly, then wrung it out so hard several threads could be heard snapping and Dib flinched and gave Zim his 'you're scarring me' face. The Irken ignored the look, and hopped up next to Dib on the counter.

The boy was turned around to sit Indian style, with his back to Zim, and he swallowed, tensing for whatever pain might follow.

He jumped when he felt the hot, damp cloth contact his back, and remained flinched as Zim started scrubbing firmly, the irken growling obscenities at the offending smiley faces and scribbles as he 'killed' them.

Dib made a series of uncomfortable noises, and was pushed back and forth a bit by Zim's motions, but otherwise didn't do much. He arched his back when Zim scrubbed firmly at the base of his spine, shut his eyes tighter. When the alien moved upwards, Dib began to relax a little more.

"Hmm..."

He mumbled something, and his eyelids drooped.

The dangerous claws rubbing into his shoulders was starting to feel like a massage, and to his tired muscles, that was wonderful.

Zim raised an eyebrow, somehow falling into a better mood when the boy hummed out another content little noise and leaned back further into the irken's rough touch.

Whether he was even aware of it or not, Zim began to be a little more gentle, expression turning to fondness.

How was he supposed to clean the boy's hair though?

Oh Ew... The egg was starting to dry out and get all crumbly. Yuck. The neat-freak invader shuddered at the sick feeling he got and kept washing off the marker for now.


	7. First Lesson on Preditorial Culture

**This fic isn't dead. I'm just having inspiration problems. Hopefully that doesn't become too apparent in this chapter.**

**Irkens love violence and control, and pouring wrath down on victims, and have, what look to me like shark-like teeth. I'm guessing Zim's problem with earth meat just comes from the grease we cook our food in- altogether, I view Irkens as having evolved from carnivore/preditorial creatures. I decided to play around with how that would affect a culture a bit. It might be slightly dark, but not as bad as some of the creepy, sadistic stuff out there.**

**If you think this chapter is horrible, to be honest, I understand. Tell me if you think this should be continued, left, or deleted. I asked this before, and I only got one vote for taking it down, which I found heartening, but I really put a lot of weight on that one vote, because that person was probably the best critic I've got. I'm also just not feeling quite on my best with this story so... Yup.**

**:\\\:**

The way the Irken had been firmly rubbing Dib's tense, sore back muscles, with that steam-hot, damp washcloth, had been practically hypnotic to the poor, tormented boy. It felt great. Beautifully relaxing. Dib had enjoyed the 'massage' enough to calm down and cooperate so Zim could scrub off every one of the doodles Gir had drawn on his pale skin with colored marker.

The Irken hadn't failed to notice when Dib started to lean back further into his touch, giving a few little pleased noises, eyes shut sort of upwards like a satisfied feline. Zim smirked a little. Dib liked his touch hmm? Somehow that made Zim want to run his hands all over the earth-ling's body. That thought was even more exciting and he but his lip to keep from grinning like a madman.

For now though, he just needed to clean Dib. Duty before fun.

With the scribbles now gone, that meant moving on, to wash his pet's hair.

:\\\:

It was Zim's understanding, that humans took 'showers' to clean their hair and bodies. There was a shower in this bathroom, with a nice large bath, and Zim was confident that he understood how one used 'soap and water' to kill off the filthy GERMS and cleanse someone or something.

He was also fairly sure that humans showered naked.

It made sense, after all, why get your clothes wet and soapy? They'd get in the way of you cleaning your skin, and wouldn't one want something nice and dry to change into afterwards?

So why did Dib put up such a fuss over being undressed?

The human was fearfully confused again. Something seemed not-right and he didn't like it.

His shirt had been off already, for Zim to rid him of Gir's smily faces, but now the Irken had insisted he slip off the counter to stand. Dib had obeyed sluggishly, sanity apparently at a 'dazed' sort of level, arms at his sides, but he couldn't help but swallow nervously when Zim hopped down next to him and grabbed the front of his belt, unfastening the buckle.

What was Zim doing?

Dib frowned and tried to back away a step or two, displaying politely but defensively that he was not happy about what was going on. Zim growled, and matched his steps, reaching out again, trying to undo the belt at the same time. He pulled down firmly on the waistline and Dib made an uncomfortable noise as he found himself cornered, back against the counter.

Fearfully, Dib squeaked and mumbled to himself, his tones sounding more and more uneasy and unsure. Something seemed quite wrong.

"Zi-Zim? What are you doing?"

Dib raised his arms, half intending to push Zim's hands away, half still not daring to offend his 'perfect savior' in any way, trapped by indecision and a feeling of owing his life to Zim, and an apprehensive feeling like a lamb led into a slaughterhouse.

His back seemed forced to arch with the way Zim was pressing him back almost bruisingly against the edge of the counter.

"Zim is going to bathe you." The answer was firm and simple.

The alien tried not to let his voice show the strange eagerness he felt to see all of Dib, uncovered. It was a brief thought, but he couldn't help his curiousity.

"Will you hold still?"

Zim tugged sharply. Dib felt his clothes slipping off and something in him panicked as his pants slid down past his hips.

He made a sharp sound, and reached to grab on firmly and cling to this 'defense', vigorously shaking his head no.

The invader snarled, eyes narrowed, teeth bared at the show of rebellion. He would not allow this. He slammed Dib painfully back against the counter, hearing him yip.

Dib's eyes widened and his breathing quickened as he winced. Zim pulled angrily at his pants again.

Impudent smeet! Couldn't he see Zim was trying to help him? The Irken curled his talons into the edge of the offending, black clothes again, immediately fighting Dib with a passion, in order to get them off.

"Obey me! You ungrateful worm!"

Dib was getting pressed hard against the counter behind him, wedged between it and Zim as the Irken started to win the fight. Dib whimpered, squirming, as Zim pulled his pants down past his thighs. Dib began to weaken again. He needed food and water so bad. There was no energy reserve in him for use.

The next thing he knew he was standing in just plain blue boxer shorts and Zim had thrown his pants aside. The alien looked quite pleased and victorious. Now he was winning. Hah, he'd like to see Dib TRY to rebel now!

However when the alien tried to remove the human's underwear, Dib started shrieking, kicking at Zim and shoving him away. Fear was cutting him again and he was starting to twitch. Dib didn't like feeling so vulnerable, the idea of being... naked, in front of Zim... He didn't like it at all, he didn't quite understand, but vague images all having to do with the concept of 'rape' were flashing through his head, and it mortified him. Dib's stommach twisted and he fought despite his weakness.

Zim was firm, eyes blazing, pinning the boy to the floor, ignorant to his struggles, something feral and predatory burning darkly on his face, spreading like his slow, poisonous grin.

He didn't understand these things at all, but something primitive, and instinctual, wanted to see Dib as vulnerable as he could get, writhing, eyes as wide and wet with tears from some intense emotion. He wanted to see that. There was a weight in his chest. Something new and frustrating. He knew it wasn't hatred. He'd lived all his life knowing hatred very well. This was new. He didn't know how to handle it, but he sure as he** intended to be dominant over the feeling... And over Dib.

With a snarl he pinned the boy's wrists. He only needed one hand for it; with the earthling so weak, it was ridiculously easy.

Zim looked at Dib's face and saw the exact fear he'd felt he wanted to see, on such a deliciously high level. Dib's golden eyes were wide and teary, expression injured; his trust betrayed, and if this was going where he thought it might, his face showed only a prelude to the horrible agony it would display.

Dib was terrified, shaking, pinned, with hard, cold, heart-less metal floor under his back as he stared up at the merciless expression of a clear carnivore.

Zim paused for a moment, instead of tearing off Dib's boxers as he'd planned, and his face fell, shark-toothed smile quickly disappearing.

His eyes ran over Dib's face. The boy was frightened, submissive, innocent, trying very hard to show that he was VERY sorry; though he didn't understand WHY he seemed to be getting punished.

Zim frowned. This wasn't what he wanted. He had thought it was, but now he was quite unsure. No, he was POSITIVE that it was wrong. Seeing this look on Dib was not what he wanted. But then what?

A long, awkward pause followed. Then Zim got up and made an apologetic, chuckling, cough sound, dusting himself off.

Dib watched with a slow carefulness, before bracing himself up on his elbows. Zim offered him a hand, and he stared at it worriedly, before accepting, but defensively. The Irken pulled Dib to his feet, avoiding eye contact in a way that said he wasn't sure what had come over him, but he felt guilty about it.

Zim had gone out of control and possibly lost a large amount of the boy's trust. Inwardly the Irken cursed. That had not gone well.

What was with him? What was with this constant feeling that he didn't completely own Dib yet? Why did he feel the need to hold the human down and brutally scar him?

To he** with getting the boy undressed. Zim would let him wear the stupid shorts-or-whatever-they-were. It would be better to just have the computer prepare his Dib a dry pair for when his bath was done, then to set the last of the boy's sanity on fire with terrorization.

Dib watched him silently. He didn't understand what had happened or almost happened just now, but it was threatening.

He hadn't done anything wrong, had he?

:\\\:

Zim had Dib sit in the bath, and he knelt on the floor, just outside, having angled the shower-head to pour down on Dib's hair. The boy made continuous, discomfortable noises, but tolerated the whole ordeal, only because it meant Zim was giving him a scalp massage.

The alien had done brief research on human grooming, just barely enough to know how to lather shampoo into Dib's hair and rinse it back out.

The human got water in his eyes several times, irritating them so he'd complain until Zim gave him a chance to wipe them off. However the Irken WAS careful not to get any soap in those pretty, sensitive, golden orbs.

The heated water filled the tub up to Dib's waist, and the boy smiled down at it, gathering cupfuls of the liquid in his hands and letting it spill through his fingers. He was relaxed by the treatment he was getting, slowly closing his eyes to hum softly, and lean back against the edge of the tub.

Zim scolded Dib, having him sit forward again do he could keep washing his hair. He was done with the shampoo, but to Zim, it took torturously long to rinse. Three times, the invader got paranoid of the death-liquid and got up to re-cost his hands and arms in paste, but nothing in particular really happened.

At least not as far as outward actions.

The pale, white, thin, fragile, soft skin of the human stretched over his frame, appearing either too tight or too loose; Zim couldn't decide; due to how malnourished the teen was.

Scars formed an intricate pattern of darker and lighter spots in the boy's hide, looking artistically designed, not quite natural, yet so intriguing, and they sure looked pretty to Zim. It emphasized ever more strongly how easily broken these humans were- how easily their body shells tore apart.

A picture, like a frozen second in time, a tiny clip of a scenario formed and lingered in the mind of the helplessly predatorial Irken.

Digging into the white hide, watching as the beautiful, coppery tasting redness leaked out to contrast the skin. Red and white. Life and death.

Dib felt Zim's claws that had been running gently, massagingly, through his hair, eventually slowing to a stop. He'd had his eyes closed to keep the water out. Now he opened them, wondering what was up.

The egg and milk, and the shampoo, had all been rinsed out of Dib's hair, so were they done? Was his bath over?

Zim's eyes glowed very softly, burning with his inner emotions as they always did. He brought one curved talon to the base of Dib's skull, and slowly moved it down, the sharp tip ghosting against nerves, Zim's face blank, yet intense, captivated, hypnotized by the whispers of long dead instincts.

Dib straitened his back with a nearly in-audible gasp and shivered. Turning his head sharply, he looked back at Zim, and lowered one eyebrow while raising the other. The boy didn't know what to make of Zim's expression. It made him just mildly uncomfortable; and even more so when Zim moved his claw to the side of his neck and drew down again. Very very lightly. Intent-fully, the irken's eyes were glued to his neck, antenna perked and twitching like the tail of an agitated cat.

Fascinating isn't it? Almost alluring.

Makes you tense doesn't it?

Makes you want to...

Grab, dig in, twist, watch him squirm.

How incredibly vulnerable, weak, fragile.

Be careful, don't hurt him.

You don't really want that. Just...

Control the desire, but enjoy the feeling.

Nothing wrong with enjoying the thrill it gives, right?

Just feel how his hide gives slightly under your claws. A little more. Mmm~! Don't push too hard though...

That's his neck.

Two seconds, and he could be in two pieces, spine snapped. He is so vulnerable, which makes you VERY powerful.

Look at those gorgeous, big, frightened eyes. Smell his fear.

"Zim?"

The prey species' voice was small, worried. He inched away from the appendage rubbing against his neck chillingly.

Zim seemed to snap out of it a little, blinking, opening his mouth as if to draw in a deeper breath.

Zim didn't think Dib had enough scars from him.

At least, they weren't in clear enough places.

His neck was still so clean and pure. Untouched.

It made it look like Dib was unowned.

What if someone else came when Zim wasn't around.

What if they took Dib?

What if SOMEONE ELSE marked Dib?

:\\\:

MINE!

:\\\:

"Zim? You... Don't look... Are y-you okay?"

:\\\:

There was more inside Zim's pak that was breaking besides just his emotional filter.

There were other restraints that were snapping.

:\\\:

It was an act deeply rooted in Irken 'culture', mixed with instincts.

It was an act of protection from any others who might try to 'claim' Dib.

It was an act of domination and control.

It was territorial, possessive, forceful.

He was making sure Dib understood the current terms under which he was still alive, and 'cared for' by the invader.

That and something had snapped. Zim lost control very suddenly, so the whole thing seemed barely explainable unless one knew a very great deal of ancient Irken culture.

:\\\:

"You're MINE."

Zim snarled out the two word sentence through gritted teeth, practically lunging forward. His hands grabbed Dib roughly, half-hazardly, just wrapping firmly around him to pick his light frame up with ease, snatching quickly, not allowing time for struggles.

The boy was thrown down against the hard floor of the bathroom, startled, hitting the surface before he had much time to brace himself. He made a pained sound, squeezing his eyes shut at the impact with the metal. He could only gasp before he felt contact between him and Zim, the body heat against his chest, and more heat, humid with the moisture of breath, against his neck.

It took him several seconds to process the fact that Zim's almost shark-like teeth, and sharp-tipped tongue, had sunk into his flesh.

He would have at the very least, flailed, trying to push Zim off, but Zim was hugging him so his arms were restrained against his sides.

Dib made a sharp, chocked noise but was frozen stiff with shock.

Was it the alien's saliva, or was the strange tongue, or canines, infecting him with some... Thing... A fluid, was it? A gas? It felt cold, but hot... Something wasn't right.

Something was very very very wrong!

What was happening?

Dib's vision blurred, twisted, pulsed, and started to swirl like batter being stirred, or like a whirlpool, first this way, then reversed.

Dib gave a panicked, high pitched groan. He was losing feeling quickly. The numbness went first to his arms, then up his neck, right into his head. He started to calm without reason, he felt light and sleepy. He couldn't even react.

But he was frightened. He was absolutely terrified, his sheer trust completely betrayed... In seconds however, his head was too clouded to feel more then a small, discomfortable amount of nervousness. He felt... Okay... Just... A little... Limp... With a much more plaint will.

Zim didn't know what he was doing. Once black and white faded to grey, they got slippery. Zim had metaphorically stepped out cautiously into a dark spot to see what it held, and found himself sucked in and controlled by that shadow.

Instincts his pak was supposed to keep down, were made stronger by many variables, like his unstable emotions filter and Dib's vulnerability and fear.

He was out of his normal mind, trying something strange and new, and loving it.

The Irken pressed and rubbed himself rhythmically against Dib, purring loudly, wanting to cover the human in his scent.

Dib was marked now.

Everything was now. Dib was his. He was claiming him in the fullest way he currently knew how to. He didn't understand the absolute thrill he got. The chills down his spine, the nervous, excited feeling in his stomach/squiddily-spooch area, they were all completely new.

Surely something that felt so good couldn't be TOO bad right? Surely Dib would... Be okay... A couple more seconds... Just a little more...

It was just a little bite, not even too deep, just enough to scar dark... Maybe make a permanent indent in Dib's little neck?

The pure red blood had a very full flavor to the Irken, the copper smell and taste was strangely awe-striking and addictive.

The feel of power...

The feel of possible prey...

The first taste of raw, living flesh, saturated with life goo...

Zim knew he was hurting Dib. He was conscious of that by now.

It hurt him, in the back of his mind, to know he was causing his human pain, but to him, it was unexplainably necessary.

The feeling was like a parent who had to give their child surgery. It was for the smeet's best interest, in the long run of things... Somehow...

It was just... What his species DID. Just ... Natural. Needed.

It felt unexplainable to Zim when he surrendered to this want he'd had.

The invader released his bite and slid his sharp-edged tongue and teeth out of the bitter flesh, to press his mouth more gently against the wound, licking the injury gently, consolingly, sucking on it for a moment, to clean off most of the blood that immediately spilled out, drinking in the entire reality of the scenario and shuddering in vicious delight.

He didn't understand what he was doing or what he felt but it seemed so good and right. He felt so victorious.

He'd lost control.

The blood was pouring like a stream and Zim thought he had only just barely punctured the flesh- in truth he'd just missed Dib's esophagus and wind-pipe.

There was a LOT of red-goo. The water base made it fizz mildly against the alien's tongue, but Zim didn't notice. He kept licking the boy in a desperate way, running his tongue up and down, and swirling it against the soft skin, tasting, but more just trying to comfort Dib from his fear and hurt.

Everything would be fine, after all.

Instincts couldn't be wrong, right?

Zim hadn't considered in any way that Dib might bleed out.

Concern over his actions finally began to sink in to the alien... but Zim wasn't quite done yet.

Dib didn't feel the pain of the wound. Whatever alien venom had infected him had numbed any sense of pain; though his other senses remained mostly functional, even if his mind was just a little bit fogged; and it had completely screwed up his ability to move in a coordinated way. Dib lay helplessly against the floor, confused, putting no effort into any struggle.

The most he could do was give little crying, pleading sort of noises, and he did. He whined beggingly, almost starting to sob.

Zim barely even heard his human.

The alien conqueror rubbed his whole body against his endeared little human's more firmly, purring loud, rumbling purrs, licking at the injury, not allowing the blood to collect, or even drip down from Dib's neck- despite how much was there.

His arms were around the boy, pinning Dib's arms to his sides, squeezing him tight, as Zim lay on top of him on the metal floor.

Zim had never felt pleasure before. He couldn't bring himself to stop. He wanted more.

:\\\:

The bite, while probably somewhat due to carnivorous instincts, was hardly about the thrill of KILLING. This particular thing Zim had just done, was from back as far as when the advanced Irkens were more animalistic. It was to mark a mate; and or force them into submission, and the entire bite was perhaps a little different from any normal bite. The paralyzer, and numbing chemical, the irken's 'poison' or 'venom' triggered by pressure and the scent of their 'victim' struggling beneath them, was excreted through the tongue and canine/fang-like teeth.

It could be used against prey, but it could do no real harm, and wasn't even strong enough to completely immobilize... so in using it on a mate, the only thing to worry about was the puncture wound.

Plenty of predators out there were quite violent when it comes to their families, let alone attempting to... Reproduce. The bite wasn't meant to be deep, just a means of control.

And to an irken, the feel of sinking their teeth into flesh, tasting blood, feeling the one beneath them squirm, was utterly thrilling. It was an old instinct, like an addiction, permanently in their genes.

Not to mention releasing the poison into one they were interested in, physically and emotionally, gave a bit of pleasure, since it was usually used to get the other to submit to full mating- though thankfully for Dib, Zim knew nothing about that, and his instincts weren't quite filling him in at the moment.

For another point however- mammals licked their wounds because their tongues were rougher, and could clean the area of germs.

Irkens weren't mammals. They had slick tongues, useless for cleaning, however their spit had qualities that could assist in stopping blood flow and quickening healing. The one bitten would be left with a scar, and that was about it, if their dominator licked their wound anyway.

Typically, it didn't even hurt much, and healed before the bitten one could bleed out.

Irkens were equipped for this ritual. Zim was following old, subconscious knowledge.

It still wasn't clear however, if Dib was going to be alright. Dib wasn't an Irken. His body was in no way accustomed for anything like this.

If Zim didn't take good care of finishing what he started, the human could easily bleed to death.

Zim kept licking at the wound. Driven to do so, controlled. It felt good. So good to dominate Dib, and sheerly, finally, fully claim him. What he felt was so strong, such a FULL feeling.

Touching, holding, pressing, coating Dib in his scent.

It was almost like that pain in the invader's chest that came with his need to protect and comfort Dib when he was hurt, but it was a more... Victorious sensation.

He felt he loved Dib, even if he didn't know the feeling by name. He loved him so much in the moment. He had to mark him. It was just what his species did. He NEEDED to.

:\\\:

It had been a minute or two and the thrill had faded. Zim was finally fully realizing what had happened, completely shocked by himself, sure he must have hallucinated or something- that couldn't have happened!

Dib trembled beneath Zim, sounding like he was starting to cry; afraid, confused, and about to faint from poison. His blood just kept pouring out and Zim felt a sick dread. He was left to straddle the boy's waist, as he had been doing, staring down, like he was dreaming. He couldnt quite believe what he saw. WHY? Why would he do such a thing? What could have possibly caused him to feel all that and do all this? What had he done?


	8. After the ritual

****First off, I'm quite glad you all seem to be so enjoying this. That means I'm doing my job. :3****

****I've gotten back on this more, and inspiration's coming back, the only problem for a while now should be time/business. I might be able to get a chapter per week or something. Who knows. *shrug*****

****Fact is though, beginning of the story's climax begins soon, meaning I may take a breif intermission to either go back to my story 'My Tallest' or type up something new. ****

****In responce to Leddybug, thank you for that long review. It was very helpful and I appreciate that you consider this story worth the time it might have taken you to type that out. I'm very pleased that you actually enjoyed the carnivore, biting thing, because I was fretting over not wanting to make Zim look like a sparkly vampire... Maybe a good, old-style vampire, but not a creepy, modern, twilight one. :P And as for your suggestions, I was actually already planning on doing one, I had the same idea! XD Great minds think alike. As for the other one, also interesting, maybe I'll incorporate that to. I won't tell you which I'm referring to first and last there though because of spoilers. ;)****

****So, without further ado, enjoy some ZADR goo! (and the corny rhyme I just made. XD)****

****:/:****

Curses. CURSES. Damn damn dammit!

What had he done? Why? Why would he have done this? He didn't understand.

Zim stood in the med bay yet again with his head lowered in un-admitted shame and guilt and general happiness with himself. He was about a foot from the cushioned examination table which Dib lay on, on his back, unconcious.

The alien had gotten the blood flow stopped, via all his licking the wound, and Irken technology. A metal pod-like object was strapped to Dib's neck, over the injury, and it's small screen read; in Irken symbols; 'Status: blood is drying and hardening, healing process; 10%'

Ten percent? Humans really were incredibly weak. Irkens could regrow nearly any part of their body even if it was severed clean off. This was just a, a mild puncture!

Okay... Maybe a bad puncture.

All Zim had done was bite Dib's neck, and now the boy looked deathly pale, fainted from blood loss.

Dib was unconscious.

Again.

Zim didn't like how not-alive his love smeet looked. He wasn't used to being scared, and he hated it. He hated that Dib hadn't heard his multiple soft-voiced, heartfelt assurances and apologies, that; 'Zim is very sorry.'

Zim hated the way Dib had writhed and cried and looked so afraid when Zim marked him... But at the same time... He had loved that.

Most of all, he hated that he'd loved victimizing Dib as he had.

What was wrong with him? He was so confused.

Dib was so weak. He was only getting weaker. He needed food. He needed water, and now he had a deep laceration to worry about on top of it.

Zim growled, frustrated, wringing his hands.

He was a terrible caregiver. Dib was probably slowly dying in front of him.

He needed to do better SOMEHOW. There had to be at least something he could do, even if it meant starting small...

Zim never failed! Somehow he'd turn things around or... something.

"I AM ZIM!"

:\\\:

The scene around Dib pulsed. This was a new area, like the interior of a building, but red, the walls, floor, and ceiling slippery, blood red, and textured like grated flesh.

It was dark, and Dib sat hidden in a damp corner, hugging his knees to his chest, shaking, as animalistic shrieks echoed out of some hallway or other. He couldn't tell where exactly they originated from. He just didn't want the source to find him.

Odd, feral sounds suddenly drew close; footsteps and growling.

Dib held his breath sharply to keep from gasping, fear pressurizing his lungs so he almost choked, as a deformed silhouette hobbled into view, and strait on past where he was hiding. It missed him, blindly.

It missed him.

That was abnormal, a change, a glitch, usually it didn't matter where he hid; they would always find him. They always knew where he was.

Something had changed. Something in his head-world had changed or been tampered with, a law of its physics had just snapped.

Dib felt sick. He wasn't sure this was good. Better the demon you know then the one you don't, that latter can pull surprises one wouldn't be able to expect and prepare for.

Not that he could do much as it was, but he certainly didn't want things to get worse.

Dib felt his stomach turning over and over as he tried to calm down as much as he was able, still huddled into a corner to hide.

Okay, well, glitch or not, the beast had passed him. He was SLIGHTLY more safe... maybe... For the moment. So now what?

The fear still surrounded him, it always did, the pain was usually there too, from being beat and torn, it was all just a matter of how much trembling, sickening suspense the boy's brain would force him to endure before he was caught by the monsters. Then the pain would begin.

'Should I move, or stay here?' The boy briefly pondered. He was unsure which would assist self-preservation more.

Sounds echoed again. Chuckles.

Chuckles from a voice not garbled by the horror of his mind. A sound of giddiness from a being Dib knew too well.

Was the laughter echoing out of every hallway, or reverberating around in his head?...Or... His figurative head, in the current dimension, not his real head that he was inside. Either way,

Dib did not like what he was hearing. His whole body went rigid. His chest felt tight and squeezed. The chuckles sounded condescending, like a lion with a cornered mouse.

Dib's fingers tightly gripped his shirt and tugged at it in shaky, gasping fear.

"Silly, silly little human... You seem afraid."

Everything went black. And it was not because Dib was fading back to reality. All light sources just went out. He couldn't see. The human choked a bit, turning his head to look around desperately.

"You are so very afraid."

The voice held an amused rumble, a purr or a growl- Dib couldn't tell but either was threatening. The voice came from definite directions now, and Dib could tell, the being seemed to be circling him. The boy held in a desperate noise, jerking his head to look around. Sweat slid down his back and forehead. It knew where he was. It had him trapped. It was toying with him.

"You look so... What is your species' word for it again? Ah yes, you look so CUTE when you're scared."

The chuckling again reverberated from all around him, and grew into maniac laughter, loud and full of dark intent and malice.

Dib shook worse, huddling into a tighter ball in the corner. Please, please just let him disappear...

"Foolish human. Don't think you can ever hide from me. I see you."

Dib felt tears and sweat stinging his eyes. He couldn't see, from the stinging, AND the darkness. The speaker sounded close.

"I will always know where you are in here. You are mine, my possession."

The creature roared. It was sudden and snarling and right in Dib's ear. The boy leapt back with a startled cry, trembling so badly he was almost having a seizure. The monster just chuckled as if it thought the reaction was funny.

"You would not dare to disobey me.

I could do anything I wanted to you... whether you were willing or not. I know I hold a great deal of power over you, Dib.

I know you would do ANYTHING. You would do anything I wanted just to be with me, close to me, talk to me.

I give you just the slightest drop of the attention you crave. Life has gotten hard for you Dib. Tell me, when exactly did you begin to cave in?

You are practically on your knees before me. You grovel.

And you LOVE me."

Dib was choking, teary, horrified and shaking as IT continued to circle him.

"You adore me. You've become so delusional. You would truly be honored to be allowed the slightest touch...

You fool.

Don't you realize how much I desire power? You've thrown every power I could have over you right into my hands, and for nothing. You beg.

Honestly, I enjoy this.

I could have so much FUN with you Dib."

Claws affectionately brushed his cheek but didn't cut skin, not now. Dib completely froze, senseless with terror, feeling but unable to see.

The finger brushed away tears Dib hadn't known he'd shed.

"Look how SCARED you are.

You're such a... tasty little creature."

The eyes appeared suddenly right in front of Dib's face, an unnaturally wide, insane, sharp-toothed smile underneath them, dripping blood.

Dib shrieked, and spun himself around, scrambling to his feet. He slipped and fell from the slimy floor, squirming away slowly, but the boy quickly saw he'd never move fast enough to escape.

The hopelessness sunk in and crushed the air from his lungs as the nightmare added a few last sentences.

"You belong to me. You have already lost. You have already been captured and surrendered. No matter what happens, you will never be able to escape ME."

Something sharp severed into his neck.

All of Dib's senses shut off.

:\\\:

Slowly, light filtered in as two eyelids lifted in a effort-full way. Gold-Amber irises became visible, as Dib stared. The boy wasn't sure what he was looking at yet, he was still just waking up. He just knew he was facing up; the pressure on his back meant the ground was under/behind him.

His eyes came to a half-focused state, and refused to allow him better vision until the human got a new pair of glasses.

The first thing Dib consciously realized, was that he felt very, very ill. Not just in his stomach, throw-up ill- all over his entire body ill, though localized in the normal places sickness would attack.

His throat was incredibly dry and sore. It felt like the flesh would crack if he even swallowed. His own breath tasted awful. His stomach was pinched and upset, burning in a nasty way.

Dib had a pulsing, swirling headache that seemed to be mildly disorienting what he felt and saw and sensed in general.

His neck hurt like hell. The achy, stabbing, hot-or-cold-burning sensation made him feel too weak to move, and it pulsed all the way up into his skull and down his spine.

Cold-burning pain.

For a moment, Dib couldn't possibly imagine why his neck felt like it did. He wasn't even sure where he was.

But of course that didn't last long. Within a minute, the memories all came back.

Zim had looked so feral. So cruel.

Like he didn't care about Dib at all.

In fact, Dib couldn't help a pestering, nagging idea, that Zim had ENJOYED his pain.

The boy's eyes watered, and he fidgeted.

It really was a nasty situation to be in, for someone who loved and needed someone who had attacked them, so badly.

Zim was the only one who ever acknowledged Dib's existence. Even in a sea of people, Dib was always alone. Sometimes he wondered if maybe he was halfway between this and some other dimension and people actually couldn't see him. Maybe he died, and was some sort of ghost, fading in and out of visibility.

People who did notice the boy seemed drawn to hurt Dib as badly as they could.

Dib almost wondered if it wouldn't be nicer if he WAS a complete phantom.

But then no one would EVER notice him. Not even Zim. And he knew that would hurt worse then any physical pain he'd yet endured.

Zim had held him recently.

It was a sweet, tight embrace, with Dib tucked protected into the alien's chest, listening to the sound of foreign organs working to keep Zim alive, the lulling, repetitive inside mechanisms, 'machinery', that made Zim tick, the sounds reassuring him of the reality of the scene as the human basked in the warmth.

All the pain would be worth it, just to be held for even a minute now and then. Dib longed for the gentle touch so badly.

'You adore me.

You would be honored to receive even the slightest touch.

You fool.'

Dib shivered, as he stared up at the ceiling, eyes wide, unsure, feeling more then vulnerable- he felt violated in some way.

Zim had pinned him down and bit him, rubbed against him, and he had seemed to be drinking his blood, the way he kept licking his near broken neck...purring victoriously.

Dib groaned keeningly. He was in pain, possibly dying, and afraid.

Where was Zim?

He really wanted Zim to hold him again right now.

He thought that would be very nice.

Was it safe though? Would Zim hurt him again? What did he do? Did he do something wrong to make Zim try to kill him?

Did he make Zim angry at him?

Dib sniffed slightly as a few tears slid from his eyes, before he shut them and bit his lip harder.

Everything was so unsure and... twisted.

How long would it be before everything was okay again?

:\\\:

"Dib-ling! Hey! Are you awake? Look what Zim has brought you!"

After long minutes of quiet, the sound of that sudden voice was almost a little startling, but so sweet.

It was Zim. But it wasn't threatening, it was happy, eager, and amiable.

Dib could forgive the entire bite incident if only to see Zim smile at him and talk to him in a friendly way. Friendliness was the closest thing to loving-ness he could ever remember getting, only ever from Zim, and it was so rare and precious and heavenly.

He was so desperate to have a reason to pull through everything.

He was so easily seduced into trust and a feeling of happiness towards the one who'd just hurt him so bad.

Only problem was, he couldn't turn his head to look at Zim, despite how much he wanted to see his savior. His neck was stiff and he didn't dare tempt pain.

"You ARE awake!" A green skinned face got obnoxiously close to the boy's, two perfect, spherical rubies staring down at Dib. Zim's eyes were wide, happy, and excited.

"Zim has prepared you food and drink! Be honored!... Dib? Sit up!"

Dib opened his mouth to speak, and choked up a funny rasping noise. His throat was so dry it hurt; really bad. He winced.

Gir started screaming from where he stood next to Zim.

"Mary's chocking! Give 'im CPR! It's like a French kiss! Breadsticks!"

Zim turned and shushed the robot, who covered his mouth as though trying to keep himself from talking, then looked up at the ceiling and shushed the house's computer. Gir then ran out, to go do who knew what. Dib smiled a little at the nonsensical robot's antics, feeling less heavy-hearted.

"Dib-human?" Zim raised an eyebrow, getting worried.

Dib offered another weak smile, trying to signal to Zim that Irken shouldn't worry about him, as his brown eyes danced over the tray Zim held. Zim had indeed brought him food and drink, as he said.

Dib wished he had his glasses, but he could recognize enough of the blurry colors and shapes to get an idea of what was there. Something about the way it was all laid out as well, appearing to have been so carefully and perfectly set up, like for a restaurant advertisement; it was touching. Zim put some time and care into this. It was kind of adorable.

Dib watched as Zim set the tray down on a nearby counter, then reached towards him, looking a little vested.

"Are you not well? Zim said sit up!"

The Irken grabbed the edge of the bed near Dib's head, and pulled it up with a jerk. The object was pulled/curled upwards quite suddenly, throwing Dib into a leaned back sitting position.

At the forceful movement, Dib swore he felt something in his esophagus either pop, or snap out of place.

He gave a tense choke, which hurt his throat even worse yet, and scrunched his face in pain, eyes shutting tight, hissing in a breath through his teeth.

Zim startled. That hurt? All he did was get the human sitting up.

Shit!

He really hurt Dib. Feeling a prodding sort of guilt Zim looked away nervously, starting to wring his hands.

The alien still couldn't understand what could have caused him to do such a thing.

It worried Zim, that he'd given in to something so foreign and unheard of, and how controlling and even enjoyable it had seemed. He was worried.

It wouldn't happen again right?

"Is Dib okay?"

The irken's expression said he was sorry.

The boy moved only his eyes to look at Zim. At first he tried to convey an automatic yes... But once he actually thought about the question, he realized he was not okay.

His expression turned to something like pleading, eyebrows drawing upwards.

On seeing that, Zim felt the strangest mixture of concern to the point of tummy sickness, and mild irritation with a great many things.

Surely the bite couldn't have caused Dib this kind of pain.

A suggestion flitted into the alien's skull and Zim felt as if all his interior organs suddenly dropped.

Did he break something in Dib's fragile backbone?

A snapped neck would immobilize a human for life, they wouldn't be able to lift any limbs! Surely his technology would have a cure though! There had to be some way to fix it! Right? Right? He'd be absolutely agonized for the rest of his life if he'd permanently paralyzed his trusting little love-child. Cute, wide eyed, dependent little Dib.

Wait-

Shakily, the boy had already lifted an arm, without the slightest appearance of pain at the action, and reached up to his neck, running his fingers inquiringly on the firm cloth wrapped around his injury, and the pod-like irken devise. He frowned at the feel of the bandage, he wanted to feel how bad the injury was.

For a second, Dib's eyes flitted to Zim, as his fingers remained on the bandage, on his wounded neck. The connection between the gestures, was an accusation, but barely lasted long enough to even suggest to anyone that it was there. Then Dib quickly looked away.

Zim could see his human looked uncomfortable. The alien waited an awkward minute for the usually chatterboxy Dib to speak up, but the earthling just looked around a little, slowly beginning to move his neck just the slightest bits; he winced a lot, but he could move it at least.

Finally the Irken really couldn't hold it in. He had a lot of things to do, questions to ask, and here he was just standing around, waiting for HIS POSSESSION to speak to him in its own time.

"Dib is not okay?"

Without thinking, the boy tried to respond, only to rasp out a painful grating noise and flinch again.

Zim's antenna perked up, finally putting some things together thanks to the putrid stench of dehydration on the human's breath.

"Are you thirsty?"

A passionate look that practically shouted 'YES!' flooded the human's expression.

Zim grinned as if he'd accomplished something great, basking in pride for a moment.

"Zim has brought drink stuff for you! And food as well! Be honored! I am ZIIIM!"

Dib smiled gratefully, with a hint of that funny bashfulness towards Zim that said he still wasn't quite stable. The look said he felt unworthy...

The Irken jumped up quite cheerfully, and Dib watched in confused surprise as Zim sat down on his legs and grabbed the tray from the nearby counter, holding up the glass and pretty much shoving it in Dib's face, over-eager.

"Don't worry Dib-thing! A bit of wine will make all your problems go away!" Zim grinned madly while Dib took the glass.

Dib stated incredulously at the orange juice -not wine- and wondered where exactly the alien's misinformation had taken place, and where he'd heard that line in the first place. Dib would have laughed if he wasn't busy gulping down the yummy, fruit flavored liquid.

Yes, the orange juice 'wine' did at least make his throat feel better.

:\\\:

For the moment, it didn't matter worth a cent to Dib, that a nightmare Zim had shown up in his nightmare world. Dib had practically forgotten, focus thrown onto the real Zim, as if almost in worship.

He couldn't ponder the meaning of something he'd forgotten about, but he would do so later.

As for Zim, he was relieved Dib seemed to have practically forgotten the entire reason he was now in pain with a poison generated headache, and would feel perfectly happy to act as though none of the instinctive ritual had ever happened.

However that was not to say that the Irken didn't feel a note of pride at the knowledge he'd given Dib what would become a permanent, indented scar.

The entire front half of the boy's neck was bruised almost to black.

:\\\:

The human gulped down the juice, forgetting all warnings Zim didn't know, involving not drinking anything but water if you were dead thirsty, since juice could dehydrate someone even worse.

Zim had made the boy some beautiful waffles, complete with a little too much syrup, fluffy whipped cream, and a strawberry. It was touching how perfectly it was all arranged, and how much care had gone into it.

The shakiness in Dib's arms had worn off by now and the human was shoveling fork-fuls of the tasty breakfast into his mouth so that he almost choked himself three times.

"Do you like it?" The Irken cooed, smiling ever wider when the human nodded vigorously, his cheeks stuffed like a rodent.

Apparently the invader had done a good job. Zim's pride swelled.

:\\\:

The pain Dib was experiencing turned out to be almost entirely an aftermath of the alien venom. Apparently the human body didn't respond well to the substance.

Dib's bite wound had already swelled, stiffened, and turned a bright red when Zim removed the bandaging. The bruising was awfully dark.

It looked nasty, but Zim kept a strait face, so that when Dib asked quietly if it was healing, the alien could more convincingly lie that 'it should be fine soon.'

Zim himself honestly didn't really know if Dib would heal correctly; he had a horrible fear that the injury might get even worse, but Zim hoped to his tallest that it would be okay. It just kind of HAD to. What was he supposed to do if it went wrong? Irken technology could do miracles by human standards. If Dib were to lose a limb, Zim could probably find a way to implant the boy with the right Irken genes to re-grow it good as new. However, the human body was very different from Irken biology. There was just such a great lack of knowledge, that despite what Zim COULD do, there was still so much he COULDN'T.

:\\\:

Zim was relieved when Dib healed up on his own very quickly after his liver finished filtering the venom out of his bloodstream.

Once Dib had sat up on his own and started looking around, Zim had brought the boy back upstairs, and once again, sat him down on the couch to watch TV. This time however, Zim was compelled by his annoying 'feelings,' and the puppy eyes his human used on him, -how dare he manipulate Zim?- to stay with his pet.

There was some cartoon on the 'information box', and Gir, who was; amazingly; still playing 'the quiet game,' joined the alien and earthling on the sofa for a few minutes, but was unable to keep still there, and eventually left to go play in the kitchen.

:\\\:

Dib sat quietly, fiddling with his fingers, and pulled a loose thread off his shirt, before glancing up at Zim. The alien was leaning sideways, his elbow on the arm of the couch, with his chin resting in that hand. Pine-green eyelids were half closed over glowing, liquid ruby eyes. The alien's face showed disinterest. He stated ahead at the TV, just passing time, almost looking sleepy.

Zim felt like he was at some sort of stale-mate. A 'now what?' situation. He sat waiting for some idea or plan to come. He was worried about what to do for Dib now. The human was still less then sane, but now that his vitals were stable, Zim didn't know what to do to help. It was very frustrating.

Dib stared, brown eyes caressing over the powerful creature's mildly inhuman cheekbones, forehead, and the place where Zim's nose would be, down the curve of one of the twitchy antenna, then back up to the top of the skull. His gaze went down to the high, pink, uniform collar, the rounded, triangular, shoulder guards, the slightly more spherical ribcage, hidden under tight clothes, the flat stomach, small but curved hips, strong, thin legs, disappearing at the knees into sharp-looking military boots.

Out of the corner of one eye, Zim finally caught Dib staring at him, and turned towards the boy, raising an eyebrow in question. Dib quickly looked away, cheeks burning red, hormonal scent quite noticeable and alluring to the Irken, who grinned, feeling somehow victorious and complemented, but lacking understanding in the area of love, to even know quite what Dib's blushing meant.

"Yes, yes, I am amazing!" Chin up, Zim looked back at the television, expression less bored then before. Dib hid an embarrassed smile.

Zim thought quietly, for a moment, of how humans treated their pets; activities and signs of ownership, before settling on something he and Dib could do. He smirked.

"Dib-ling?" Voice laced with an suspiciously affectionate cooing tone, the invader turned to his human.

Dib looked over inquiringly, still blushing mildly so that the Irken wondered what thoughts were going on in that adorably oversized head.

"Yeah?"

Zim reached out for the boy's shoulders, grin spreading as Dib leaned away a little in response, looking nervous, almost flustered.

"Come here."

Zim pulled lightly at the shoulder-sleeves of Dib's T-shirt; he had put the garment back on Dib at some point after the biting; and Dib slowly leaned forward as he was directed, eyes on Zim's, the boy's expression turning a little more confused and worried, but he was obeying.

Of course he obeyed. He couldn't NOT obey Zim. Fear of rejection by the one last person who cared was too strong to even consider anything but total allegiance.

That didn't mean he wasn't frightened however. His innocent trust had been tainted and diluted, as symbolized by the abnormal, still bloody and bruised-black mark on his neck.

"Lay down human."

Dib frowned, but finally, gingerly, set his head down on Zim's lap, as he was instructed to do, laying on his back, looking up at the invader, cheeks reddened, eyes questioning, the back of his head resting on Zim's thighs.

"Good boy."

The Irken purred, grinning fondly down at the human's submissive, vulnerable look, and running his fingers through Dib's hair, massaging his scalp.

The earthling gave a breathy, content noise, eyelids falling to half-mast.

Zim grinned even wider, petting his human with both hands. He combed his clawed fingers through Dib's hair, and stroked the boy's soft cheek with his thumb. It was odd, how many little tiny hairs these humans had. On most, Zim thought it was disgusting. On Dib... It just made him more... squeezable.

The clue-less invader began to worry, however, that there might be some sort of internal bleeding going on in the boy's face. His cheeks were so red...

:\\\:

Time passed like this.

Once, Zim had to get up, to check on some experiment or project. He excused himself, gently pushing Dib off him, leaving his human to pout until he returned.

When the alien conqueror did come back, five minutes later, Dib was sitting on the couch hugging his knees to his chest like he did, curled up, looking like he was almost napping half-upright.

Zim chuckled as he sat back down next to Dib, purring softly in greeting, and the boy looked up, surprised for a moment, then smiled tiredly.

Zim didn't know how to explain the feeling he got, when Dib flopped himself back onto the invader's lap, blushing, but looking very, very content. He gave Zim a begging look, requesting permission, but not waiting for an answer before sliding his arms around Zim's waist, hugging him and nuzzling his face into the irken's stomach area lovingly.

Zim smiled fondly and resumed petting Dib with the gentle caresses the boy seemed to like so much and shivered at. Zim caressed his face and massaged Dib's back.

Dib looked so happy. So very, very happy.

Outside the windows, the sky was turning a dark navy blue. Harsh winds were loud enough to hear whistling, blowing up bits of snow. It was a cold sound.

Every once in a while, the human on Zim's lap would shiver strangely and blink his eyes back to focus, or yawn, then snuggle back in.

Dib was falling asleep. The irken was... Touched, by the fact that his pet was willing to make himself so vulnerable when so close to him. The level of desperate trust Dib had, even after the earlier episode... It made something in Zim hurt. He couldn't explain it.

What he knew though, was that it would be more comfortable for the human to have a nice nest, or bed, or whatever, and a private sleeping room, then to be left on a couch. Zim refused to leave such valuable property out near the entrance to his lair, where anyone who broke in might steal Dib away.

"Computer! Make the human a sleeping room!"

Dib blinked when he heard Zim shouting and frowned.

Sleep?

...no... He didn't want... To sleep... He... Didn't... Want...

...They'd come... And get... Him...

...

He managed to get out a funny mumbling noise before slipping unconscious again. Zim didn't understand and just looked down at his precious Dib-ling with fondness, and continued his comforting touches.


	9. Intermission of Doom? :P

**Not much to say here, except that this may go on hiatus so I can go back to my other story My Tallest, work on one-shots maybe, or try to work on my own, original works.**

**I need an account on DA. DX seriously...**

**Thanks for all the support, and if you like it, review please. :3**

**:\\\:**

The young human had been laying with his head on Zim's lap, feeling the gently probing fingertips brushing over his scalp for a nice long while now. Dib's hair had still not quite completely dried from his shower, and was now needing to be styled, spiking out in odd directions here and there and lying flat against his skull in other spots. It looked like 'bed-head'. Zim usually found that so called 'style,' icky and dirty... Yet somehow, on Dib right now, it seemed very endearing.

Endearment- More confusing emotions. The Irken was seriously getting frustrated by this.

:\\\:

It was dark outside; the very last of the sunset's glittery paint was disappearing from the horizon, and the young earthling's eyelids were heavy.

Dib barely registered that Zim was asking him something, all he caught were fuzzy syllables and the questioning tone of voice. He sighed rather heavily and nuzzled into Zim's tummy again, tightening his arms around the extra-terrestrial's thin waist.

Bliss. It was beautiful. He'd wanted gentle physical contact for so long. Craved it obsessively until the lack of even a hint of satisfaction killed his hope. Now, he felt he couldn't be happier, couldn't get enough, or be more relaxed, or more lulled and sleepy.

He was SO sleepy... Zim's body heat and pulse were becoming something sweet and gentle in the back of his mind.

:\\\:

Zim actually didn't mind Dib's cuddliness much. In fact, Zim was surprised to find that he... kind of enjoyed it. Why would he enjoy it? He didn't understand. Stupid, cursed, hormones and emotions. Filthy chemicals in his blood and flesh-brain.

Perhaps it was some symbol of Dib's loyalty and happiness and awe for Zim; the snuggles? Then it would make sense why the Irken liked it. Maybe?

He needed to rationalize why it made him smile after all.

Zim eventually pulled himself back to the moment.

"Dib, can you hear Zim? Or are you already recharging?" The Irken asked his question for the second time, emphasizing a few words by poking at the human's funny looking head satellites Dib called 'ears' as he spoke. The invader's pet scowled a little, but relaxed again soon, breathing slow and steadily, eyes shut calmly.

"Meh, oh well."

The alien leaned over Dib's body, which was now curled up, desperate for companionship but respectfully distanced, at Zim's side, and he slipped his arms under Dib's shoulders and knees, carefully lifting him.

"Computer, Zim assumes you have finished the sleeping chamber for my slave?"

"Affirmative. Sleeping chamber for unit Dib has been completed."

"Show Zim a holo-map of the room's location."

With barely any delay, a small screen floated down from somewhere in the mess of cords that was Zim's ceiling. After analyzing it, the Irken turned away, to a part of his floor with the faint outline of a circle etched into the tile, and told the elevator to take him down.

:\\\:

The house's AI had applied Zim's personal taste to construct Dib's room, having been given nothing else to work with, as well as no reason to give the chamber a human look.

There was no bed. Instead, the room was rather snug, spherical, and the entire inside; the curving 'walls'; were all padded, and soft, like a foam mattress or beanie-bag chair. Not to mention it was all deep, maroon, red- Zim's favorite color happened to be the shade of human blood.

There were plenty of blankets and pillows and random plush inside, collected from who knew where, but probably thanks to Gir.

Zim thought it looked quite pleasing and perfectly worthy of his Diblet.

The circular door opened into the side, and Zim carefully stepped in, trying not to lose his balance with the unmissable slope. Kneeling to lay his unconscious love-child in the pile of soft things, Zim watched Dib's face, wondering momentarily, if the earth-ling would be okay; all alone while he slept.

Dib gave a soft whine, eyebrows raising up when the irken's body heat left him. For a moment he reached out in his sleep, his arm flopping hysterically, searching for Zim, who stiffed a giggle. Then Dib sighed sadly and curled into a tight little ball, hugging himself.

Zim watched, eyes showing his amused, but heart-aching fondness. He wound up spending a couple minutes arranging the covers around his pet, to keep him cozy and warm, petted Dib's fluffy head-fur one more time, and then left, to leave Dib to his sleeping. The conqueror had experiments to see to after all, he'd already been neglecting his work far, far too much. Besides, Zim would get nauseously bored just sitting beside an unconscious person. When Dib woke up, the boy could call for him, alerting the house's computer to tell Zim he was up, or just use the door handle and find his master himself.

Dib would come to no harm. Everything would be fiiiinne.

Still, that wasn't much comfort. Zim felt guilt, for leaving Dib alone. Little Dib who looked so fragile and defense-less as he was.

Oh well. Back to information retrieval and invasion preparation.

:\\\:

Dib wanted to run.

He didn't know what THIS Zim's intentions were, but he didn't feel safe. Not at all. He wanted real Zim with him- right now.

The shadow in the darkness purred, deep and throaty, as it stalked around him. Dib tried to back away, but couldn't tell where it was and the thought of walking right into the monster-Zim was horrifying.

"Zi... Zim?"

It grinned madly as it walked back around in front of him. Only the outline, and the eyes and teeth of the creature were visible. Dib could still see that the thing was several times his size.

"Yeeesss?"

"Are... Are you... M-mad at me?" The boy squeaked, shoulders drawn up humbly and out of fear, as his hands pulled at the bottom of his shirt, shaking.

The beast grinned even wider, the feral look spreading to its eyes. Dib saw faint pupils shrink into vertical slits. It started slowly walking closer, not answering, and Dib quickly started to back away.

"Did I do something wrong?" He hurried out in a gasp, apologetic.

"You try so hard to please me... It's so pitifully adorable." The nightmare gave Dib a sickeningly sweet smile. The boy backed away, breathing fast. He needed to run. Where could he go?

"Tell me Dib,"

The creature snarled, disdainfully.

"-Do you honestly think that you could ever win my favor enough for me to love you?"

:\\\:

The booming voice of the almost omnipresent AI, startled Zim out of his concentration.

"Just to let you know, I think something's wrong with your little pet."

The green skinned being almost dropped the syringe he held. The giraffe that was somehow tied down to a very large and strangly shaped operating table, just kept struggling.

The irken removed his goggles and gave the ceiling an annoyed but mildly vested look.

"What do you mean?"

"He's thrashing around and crying for no reason I can see."

Zim's eyes widened, looking surprised, to say the least. He tore off his science goggles, gloves, and coat, tossing them into a heap on a counter, pointed an accusing finger at the 'long necked earth cow' demanding it stay where it was, and took off running out of the enormous main lab, down a small, obscure hall, towards Dib's room.

"Computer? Have you scanned him?"

"Affirmative. Scans came back as -all vitals appearing stabilized, increased breathing and pulse rates, noteable perspiration with body temperature normal, high level of fear and pain hormones but no injuries.- Brain activity was unreadable by current equipment."

Zim snarled out a long list of curses as he ran, slamming Dib's door open the moment he reached it.

:\\\:

The first thing the boy became aware of, was that the claws buried into his flesh had suddenly gone, along with the tearing sensation.

His face was dripping wet. He stuck out his tongue experimentally, tiredly, and recognized the salty taste of tears. He knew that taste well by now.

He was curled up tight, on his side, clutching a pillow to his chest for dear life, his grip having nearly disfigured the pillow-case.

It was dark. The walls were blood red.

Instantly, relief at the idea of having been saved by the waking world, turned into dread at what appeared to be a cruel trick from his senses.

"Dib?"

The boy turned sharply, suddenly completely conscious, and gasped. Golden-amber eyes settled on two deep orbs of flesh-red. Dib gave a horrified cry, leaping away from the figure hunched over him without a second thought, flinging the pillow at it and immediately turning to run-

Only to realize he was completely enclosed by walls, inside a spherical... Soft... Red... Thing... Like he'd been swallowed and was now in something's stomach. He only panicked over that idea for a moment though- it wouldn't make sense, because... There was someone else here.

"What the hell was that for WORM-SLUG-PIG!"

Zim steamed. He'd been getting more and more worried, upon seeing Dib crying and occasionally screaming, and finding he was unable to wake his love-child. Getting a pillow to the face didn't make him very happy. Ungrateful human... Zim growled low in his throat.

Dib shook violently at the threatening sound, turning to look back at Zim who was barely a foot or two away from him in the tiny room. Dib lost his balance, and fell onto his knees. He was still so weak, even though he'd gotten some food in him. The stress alone was so bad.

He started to gasp and tear up again, barely managing to gasp out a plea of;

"Why do you want to hurt me? I didn't do anything! Did I? I'm sorry! I'm sorry!"

Zim paused, confused. That was an odd reaction.

Dib's pretty eyes showed so much fear.

The little human broke down sobbing before he'd even finished the sentence.

Zim almost paled, mind scrambling to figure out what was wrong.

"Hurt you? No... Zim does not... Want to hurt you... Why would Dib think that?"

The boy looked up at him, squinting without his glasses, and through all the salty water pouring from his eyes.

Finally he seemed to make some recognition, and looked away as if humiliated, quickly wiping his face off on his sleeve, swallowing thickly, trying to control his breathing. He was quiet for a little while, before finally replying in an emotionless whisper;

"N-nothing... I'm fine now... Nevermind..."

Zim frowned. "Dib... Zim wants you to talk to Zim. You NEED to tell Zim what's wrong. I demand it of you."

With a huff, the conqueror placed his hands on his small but curved hips. Dib glanced up but looked away again quickly. He was quiet for a while, then Zim narrowed his eyes, tired of waiting.

"DIB!"

The human tensed and whined, hugging his knees to his chest.

"Sorry..."

"Then tell Zim what is wrong."

Dib felt the material he was sitting on dip slightly, signaling that Zim was crawling closer, and the boy felt his stomach jump in uneasy nervousness.

It was at that moment that Dib realized he felt very unwell. Scrunching up his face, he moved a hand down over his mid-section and fisted it on his shirt.

"I- it was just a bad dream."

Dib spoke quickly and quietly. He wanted to get off the topic.

Did he have a fever? He felt sweaty and overheated.

"A 'dream-thing' about what?" Suspiciously, the irken's eyes narrowed. Dib looked away, intimidated by the gaze of the blood red eyes.

"I- I don't remember."

Dib tried to leave the subject as quickly as he could. Zim frowned and opened his mouth to say something else, but was stopped.

Dib felt his stomach lurch unexpectedly and chocked. His insides hurt... His whole body felt so weak and shaky, and his head was pounding like after Zim... After ...

_~sharp teeth sunk deep into his neck, Dib could HEAR his own flesh being cut, and the Irken purred delightedly.~_

Dib shuddered at the mere flash of a memory, and looked away defensively.

"Dib?"

"I... I feel kinda sick..."

Zim made an 'ick' face.

"Are you going to throw up?" The irken cocked his head a little, sitting next to Dib.

"I don't think so... It, it doesn't feel like, like that yet... Just... Do you have... Anything I could drink?"

Dib quieted at the end of his sentence, feeling like a bother, wishing he didn't have to ask Zim to do things for him.

"Like more earth-wine?"

Dib smiled a little, trying to keep back a small laugh.

"No Zim... And that was orange-juice;"

"Lies!" The Irken pointed an accusing finger, but Dib just leaned back a little, giving Zim a sweet, asking face.

"Do you have any water?"

"Eh?" Zim paused, looking either surprised or confused, then;

"Oh! Oh yes right! Humans need water! Heheh, IKNEWTHAT! Zim will bring you some."

The Irken got up and headed for the door.

Dib smiled gratefully, but then flinched as his stomach twisted again, hard, and refused to calm back down right away. "A-actually Zim-"

The Irken stopped and turned to see Dib looking a little pale and wide eyed, almost pained.

"I... I think I'm going to throw up..."

Zim's eyes widened for a moment, before he rushed over, scooping Dib up under the arms. The alien determined to rush Dib to a disposal unit, or the earth bathroom the computer had installed earlier.

"Don't you dare soil me or my base human..."

Dib made a pained face and nodded, swallowing heavily. He let Zim help him up, one hand clinging to the alien, while the other clutched his stomach.

:\\\:

"Is Dib okay now? Is that it?" Zim was as disgusted as he sounded, looking away as Dib leaned over the sink, antenna flinching back everytime the boy heaved.

The human's entire body was shaking feverishly from the multiple, sharp convulsions of his muscles; Zim still held the boy under his arms, and was supporting a lot of his weight in his moment of weakness.

Dib nodded, and managed to cough out an 'uh huh.'

Zim turned on the sink's faucet and washed away the last remains of his poor pet's sickness from the sink bowl, before somehow getting Dib to sit on the counter, so the alien could wipe off his face with a towel, then throw said towel into the incineration bin. Dib just sat there, and let Zim clean him off, dazed.

"Eheh... So... Dib needs to drink some water now?"

"Yeah...That'd be nice. Thanks."

Zim turned to a cupboard, and pulled out a small paper cup. Making a distasteful expression, the Irken very carefully filled it with the nasty death liquid, before handing it to his very thirsty Diblet.

The human drank it down greedily, swallowing loudly, before turning and refilling it himself, drinking that, and then going for a third cup.

Zim watched observantly, and finally stopped him on the fifth.

"Won't that make you sick again human? If you drink too much?"

Dib grunted something unhappily, and started to drink it anyway.

The earthling's throat was so dried up, and the vomiting had tore and stung it. He was very, very thirsty, and not thinking.

Zim twitched one antenna, mildly irritated, but decided to lay down the law when Dib went to get a sixth cup.

One three fingered, green skinned hand, donned with talons snatched Dib's wrist and the other grabbed the human's cup away.

"Dib! Zim said ENOUGH!"

The boy made a noise between a whimper and a huff, and hunched his shoulders, looking away.

"Fine..."

Zim released the boy's hand and offered a little smile. Good. Dib obeyed him well.

"Good boy. Now, are you feeling better?"

Dib thought for a moment before answering.

"Yeah, I think so."

The human was still shaking mildly, but he already looked less pale.

"Then Zim will take you back down to your room. Humans need lots of sleep, it will make you feel better, yes?"

The alien was firm, but in a caring, parental sort of way. Dib didn't notice this, and averted his eyes, going pensive but not letting it show, at the mention of 'sleep'.

"Yeah... Okay. You're right."

"Of course I'm right!" The Irken puffed right up, grinning, ego inflating.

"Now come!"

Roughly seizing possession of his love-child's hand, Zim started matching back out of the bathroom, and down the hall.

After a few steps, the full implications of something Zim said was noticed by Dib.

"Wait- my room?... You mean that place... The red... Cushiony..."

"Yes, that is where Dib-thing will stay. Zim had his computer make it for you."

"It's... Like... Specially for me?" The boy spoke quietly, feeling touched, just like when Zim had brought him breakfast. Zim, his perfect alien savior, was being so incredibly kind and generous. Dib felt quite undeserving, but not as though it were sin-full gain, so he drank it all up.

"Of course. Do you like it?" Looking back as he walked, approaching Dib's bedroom door by now, Zim grinned at the human, who smiled happily back.

"Yeah.. It's, very nice. Thank you."

Zim grinned wider, purred, and for a moment, leaned in close.

Dib's eyes widened, his smile disappeared, and his cheeks went red. He resisted the instinct to lean away, submitting curiously, his heart beginning to thump harder for softly hopeful reasons.

Zim could hear the primitive blood-pumping organ quicken it's pace and smirked. How cute. And he so enjoyed his power over Dib...

Zim gave the boy a long, soft lick on one of his heated cheeks, feeling Dib stiffen and gasp, startled, his face getting even warmer.

Zim pulled back just a little and grinned almost darkly, controllingly, looking for his pet's reaction.

Dib averted his eyes, shoulders hunched. He didn't know how to feel. It was a shy, awed feeling of joy... Zim was gorgeous and advanced, and everything... And Dib was everyone's whipping boy. The alien just... Licked... Him...

Well...

It was, sort of like a kiss right? Dib felt giddy and flattered, either way, and had a hidden smile all the rest of the walk.

:\\\:

"Here you are Dib."

The boy stared through the open circular door, then at Zim, who was gesturing towards the dark, cozy space.

The boy hesitated in the doorway, then bit his lip and looked down at the floor. Mustering up some courage, he asked what seemed like a slightly bold request.

"Will you... Could... Could you stay with me - just, for a while?"

Zim couldn't read his human's face, and for whatever reason, didn't notice the scent of fear Dib carried. The earth-ling was gripping one arm with the other, staring down at his feet and fidgeting.

"Zim has much to do Dib-let, and does not care to sit and watch you lay with your eyes closed, breathing." The alien crossed his arms frowning, and Dib slowly nodded, gripping his arm tighter, hiding his expression of even deeper worry and a bit of pain and sadness at the careless remark.

"Okay..."

"Goodnight human." Zim smiled, proud he'd learned the human's terms for this sort of breif good-bye and could now use it.

"... Yeah... Thanks..."

Dib looked up at Zim. For a second the Irken was surprised by the intensity of the boy's expression. Dib opened his mouth to say something, but then hesitated. Zim wondered if he should ask what was wrong, but Dib suddenly changed his mind, turned, and hurried into his room.

"Goodnight Zim." Swiftly, Dib closed the door with a sharp click. Zim stood in curious, vested, and contemplative silence for a moment, before finally pulling himself away. He had work to do, after all.

Still, why Dib had acted like that, just before he'd left?

:\\\:

"I should have said something.

I could've begged Zim to just stay until I fell asleep."

Dib lay on his back, in the center of a figurative tornado of blankets, all swirled and wrapped messily around him.

Slowly, slowly, the boy had been regaining his sanity. He could think very clearly now, with an almost usual thought pattern.

"I bet if he stayed, the nightmares would be at least a little less bad.

I could have told him that I like him.

-really really like him-

I wonder how he'd respond though... The way Zim acts... He... Gave me a sort of kiss... But he wouldn't stay with me because it would be boring for him... I suppose it makes sense but..."

Dib hugged some random plush object; he couldn't see much of it with the lights dimmed so he could just barely make out his hand in front of his face; and he curled up, insides twisting uneasily.

Zim showed mild dislike for the fact that Dib required boring 'sleep.'

No one ever considered him 'good enough'.

He hoped from the way Zim had been so kind to him that maybe he'd found an exception.

Maybe not. Really though, he shouldn't have even hoped for that.

He was in awe of every little thing about the -perfect- alien.

Dib was considered the societies' trash.

He wasn't good enough for Zim.

His hopes and daydreams were futile.

All this thinking seemed to leave a very nasty taste in the back of Dib's throat.

It continued.

He couldn't go to sleep- he REFUSED to go to sleep. He didn't want to wake up in the other place.

For some reason, he'd been born hopeless and hate-able.

His father was always ashamed of him.

Detestable to everyone.

All his life.

Why?

His brain always strayed this way when he was tired. Dib had developed a consistent habit of crying himself to sleep at night.

Tears started flowing, but he forced himself to stay more calm and keep quiet.

Eventually, he couldn't hold off his exhaustion, or the pull from the other world.

No matter how much he fought, it always pulled him back.

:\\\:

The alien conqueror had just taken a figurative blow to his weakest spot, the one thing he thought he'd been taking care of so well and so thoroughly. Zim was utterly distressed, pacing back and forth with sharp, jumpy motions, wringing his hands, antenna drawn back and twitchy. Hostility born from an almost maternal need to protect, leaked from his every pore.

"Well!"

"Well what?" The computer sighed, sounding upset; either it sympathized with its master, or was annoyed at being put to work.

"Well - HIM!" Zim spat, furiously, pointing across the medical room at Dib, who lay unconcious, once again, on the examination platform.

"It's been almost twenty-four hours, WHY. WON'T. MY. DIB. WAKE. UP?"

There was a long pause.

"I still dont know master, the scanners can't-"

"UPGRADE THEM THEN! USE WHAT INFORMATION YOU CAN GATHER PAINLESSLY- IT WILL. BE. ENOUGH." Zim was nearly shrieking. His eyes were bugging out, fists shaking.

Something was horribly wrong.

Dib had looked at peace earlier when he'd dozed off with his head on Zim's lap. Now he looked very troubled. Zim had tried so many things only to get no response. His human was, for all intents and purposes and appearances, completely comatose.

Dib had given him such a painful look before going into that room to go to sleep. He had been about to tell him something, maybe he was going to tell him what was wrong.

He asked Zim to stay with him.

Zim had said no. Too busy; just like the boy's wretched father-unit. How could he have been such a fool? He was starting to feel a terrified, guilty suggestion that he really, really should have said yes.

The human was on his medical platform- once again; Zim was starting to dread going anywhere near his own infirmary.

Despite the computer's assurances that it wouldn't be needed, Zim had hooked the human up the several machines. If his heart, lungs, or anything, were to suddenly stop... HOPEFULLY the Irken technology would take care of that.

Zim wanted him AWAKE, not just alive though.

Zim wanted to see those bright, pretty eyes staring at him, drinking up his alien appearance with Dib's normal fascination.

Zim wanted to know everything was alright.

He didn't even know what was wrong yet. So how could he fix it?

Poor Dib... Poor Dib-let... So sweetly trusting...

Zim had to fix him.

Somehow, he unwillingly, and unwittingly, started playing the human's voice through his head.

"Zim... You promised... You said.. Y-you said you'd... Take care of me... And...

Why wouldn't you stay with me before?

"Just for a little while- please Zim?"

The human body laying there looked pale. It looked like it wasn't able to give Zim another chance to do things right and Zim hated it.

He hated the pain in his chest. It had been bad at first, but after an hour, then two, three, four, so many, many hours, still no progress, Zim felt he'd done something horribly wrong.

Damn feelings. Cursed emotions.

Twenty four hours

They stretched into thirty-six, and Zim began to lose it.

Zim didn't know, or care, as to why liquid had started running out of his eyes and down his face, or why his breathing was coming in mild gasps.

All that mattered was Dib. He'd been under for far too long.

Zim didn't want it to be too late.

Why would he suddenly just...

He COULDN'T have died. Zim wouldn't let him.

:\\\:

At the very least, some deranged feeling that this was all his fault, made him desperately want a chance to just say yes to that last request of his love-child.

"I would stay with you... If it mattered so much...

I think right now, I'd stay with you, just to stay with you."

:\\\:


	10. Not Quite Hell

**Guess what's back, now with 70% more plot? *fistpumps* I feel excited, this should be awesome, I just hope I can make it read as awesome as it plays out in my head.**

**Was it Leddybug that mentioned what's about to happen here? I had the same idea before your review, but you got me really thinking about it. Thank you. ;)**

**This chapter was completed in a slight rush. Please feel encouraged to point out mistakes, make suggestions, or review in general. I love reviews. I love them so much. **

**Zim: And I love chewing on Dib! :3 :K**

**Dib: ;_;**

**Zim: *rawr* *glomp***

**Dib: D:**

**Enjoy?**

**:\\\:**

Without being hooked up to the Irken machinery, Dib would have died by now from lack of water, and nutrition. It also wasn't impossible that his lungs and heart might've stopped working as well. Eight days in a coma. It was too long. Zim couldn't deal with it much longer. Dib's half-death was killing him. He was developing twitches. This sort of stuff just wasn't supposed to happen, and certainly not to those who had enough insecurities and problems as it was.

But after a week, Zim had reached a breakthrough.

At last, at last, at last, his time of watching helplessly was over. It had been no easy feat, but he'd found out what he needed to do, formed a plan, and now, he was prepared to execute it.

The human mind was a complicated thing for Irken technology to work with, let alone states of sleep and dreams, but the Irken had been at work every moment, never resting, not snacking, barely taking any brakes.

A newly constructed, hulking large machine covered in buttons and gauges sat next to the medical table.

Using its scans, Zim was able to make a guess at what was going on.

Shakily, the irken attached the last few thick cords to his human's head with one hand, running the other lovingly through Dib's hair.

Eight days. Eight, long days running around a near-dead body, desperately begging for a response, trying to fix something broken too far inside for him to reach, but he still tried- and he finally found a way.

His promises that Dib would be okay, and that he'd protect him and keep him safe and happy, had all been broken and the thought of the frightened unstable boy, his trust shattered like his sanity, haunted Zim.

"You'll be okay. You'll be okay. I'm sorry. Zim will see you very soon, Zim will be there soon..."

Zim was breaking.

Zim knew something was horribly, horribly wrong, he could smell it, and his advanced scans had explained to him what they could, proving his assumptions correct.

So, it was Halloween all over again was it? Fine. If this was a test, he'd pass. Dib was his! HIS! ZIM'S DAMMIT!

Turning to his machine he quickly adjusted as many things as he could think of, twisting knobs, entering codes, then paused to make sure he'd missed absolutely nothing.

Sick dizziness stirred around in his insides.

He wasn't trying to wake Dib's body up, he had tried in so many different ways to do that. It simply didn't work. This was the next best thing the troubled alien could think up. It was a desperate resort, but once he got working on this, it would open up multiple other possibilities. He'd figure out EXACTLY what was happening, then figure out how to work with it.

Climbing up onto the medical bed, Zim lay down beside Dib, attaching the four remaining cords of his new machine to his own forehead and temples.

It didn't matter that he knew nothing about dreams, nothing about what awaited him. He was going strait into Dib's mind and soul to confront them and DRAG THEM BACK where they belonged. It didn't matter if he had to plunge into hell. Zim was losing it. The thick fear scent Dib had radiated this whole time had been gnawing on the irken's brain.

With a second of hesitation and a heavy breath, Zim flipped one last switch.

A five second countdown started, giving Zim enough time to cuddle up against the boy's side lightly, and wrap an arm over Dib's chest, and hug him close, but gently.

3-

"It's okay"

2-

"It'll be okay"

1-

0-

"You're *mine*!"

A swift electric current hit the alien like a blow from a mallet, and his eyes slid shut as blackness overcame him. For a fraction of a second, he panicked, realizing more fully the enormity of what he was doing, a second of regret, but then all thoughts and feelings were gone. Everything left. Quiet nothingness calmed everything in a soothing haze of black.

:\\\:

Flowing, pulsing, dark red. Blood, slipping down around him like walls, he was swimming in it, unfeeling. For several seconds that was all the invader could recognize. It wasn't complete nothingness, but it was close. It was almost like the last stages of fading pain before death.

Then for a moment, he started to fall. He thought he collided into a body or something in doing so but he just couldn't tell. Was that a shriek echoing just beyond his hearing?

... What did he hit?

But those hallucinative impulses vanished out of mind within seconds.

Through his blurry dizziness, Zim watched as the scarlet faded to purples, blues, and blacks, darkening fast, then lighting here and there with sickly glows. Angular and rectangular shapes rose up, and grew windows and doors, becoming buildings, the city. Zim breathed in cold, thick air as he felt the ground solidify beneath his boots. From there, the process quickened and smoothed, and Zim found himself standing, fully aware, looking around an eerily familiar area. He'd been there before, he'd lived in the less macabre version of it since coming to earth.

Just like he'd guessed from the scans. Dib's little Halloween dimension was still sitting around in his head; exactly as he remembered, but now it was causing trouble again. Zim shuddered. If not for his determination, he would've immediately started wondering if it wasn't too late to escape. This was where Dib's spirit was buried in his brain. Zim had come to dig it out. Shuddering out his apprehension and revulsion, licking his lips nervously and tasting the sharp copper in the air, he prepared to get to work.

A group of bats squeaked somewhere nearby as the alien decided to get out of the middle of the slimy road, which was reflecting the far off tiny spot of green lantern light, replacing the moon here. Zim fell into the deep shadows of the buildings, on the sidewalks, hidden, to straiten his priorities. His movements were quick, sharp, and cautious, expression guarded, emotions set to minimum to help him think calmly and rationally.

Dib. Dib, Dib, Dib, he had to FIND Dib. If Zim had a physical form inside the boy's mind, there was a good chance that there was a dream-Dib here too. He had to look for the boy's personification within the wretched twisted version of their city. That was first. Everything would follow from there.

The conqueror didn't usually bother to think things through very far, and unfortunately, now was not an exception. All he thought of was finding the human.

Antennas raising and twitching, Zim tried to catch Dib's scent. There was a plethora of horrible fumes drifting around, blocking any sign of the boy, and Zim gagged at the tastes and smells of rot. Disgusted, he flattened back his antennas, resigning to seeking the earthling out the normal way, by walking around, until he caught a clear trace of his human. He hissed to himself quietly.

It was fascinating though; even though his physical body was still in the med-bay, this place seemed just as real as last time, when he'd been portaled in completely. He could feel, smell, hear, everything was on the same level of detail as reality.

Zim took one step forward, and something just in front of his feet snarled at him.

Jumping back, his eyes searched the thick darkness, finally seeing a small, deformed cat, with spider legs, as it snapped up the remaining bloody mess it had been eating, to run from Zim.

The invader let out a long breath. He'd have to be on alert. He did not want to walk into anyone other then Dib.

As he stalked along, the scent of something sickly sweet drifted faintly against his antennas, making them twitch. Funny, it reminded Zim of Irken blood.

:\\\:

In a sudden split second, Dib's mental prison had changed drastically.

He had come to believe he was dying. He couldn't feel anything but the faint aching pulse of his pain, couldn't feel his own body parts, couldn't move, couldn't see, hear, smell, or taste. It was all just a flow of dark red.

Then, all of the sudden, it was like a light broke through, not a normal, bright, shining light though, but a hint of pure green in the corners of his vision. Green skin. A presence invaded, he could feel it. For a misty second, Dib felt the urge to reach out and touch it, out of mindless curiosity, but then it was gone, some distance separating them, and his vision was turned over beginning to spin. Nausea bubbled up and he could feel his stomach again. He felt hard, cold, damp floor against the back of his aching head. One of his fingers twitched and tingling ran down down all his limbs. He could feel again. Reddened amber-gold eyes squinted up into darkness, the faint outlines in the stone ceiling waking up Dib's mind. Where was he? He couldn't remember...

Someone else was here now, and their mind changed his subconscious realm, bringing back logic and the laws of physics and nature, finally cutting off the bindings of unnatural fear and unexplainable pain. Who? Where were they? He wasn't sure. He felt half-asleep and couldn't figure it out.

The boy was still hurt; he'd been bruised and cut by his made-up-monsters.

It took a lot of painful effort to push over onto his side, trying to see where he was, to veiw navy-blue darkness, stone walls, and iron bars. He was in a cell of some sort. He was pained, and afraid, but too tired to care very much. Dib lay back down with a slow breath, closing his heavy eyelids, just listening for anything to break through the silence. There was nothing. He seemed to be alone.

All alone, in the dark, locked up in a small space.

Dib curled into a ball and shivered. He felt cold. So cold...

:\\\:

That was DEFINITELY the smell of Irken blood. And there was the fluid the smell was coming from. A trail of smeared, dripped, and puddled dark pink went down the middle of a road Zim had found.

Same shade as his own blood. It was a trail of Irken blood. Zim felt sick.

He was here now, he wasn't injured, that was Irken blood- beyond a doubt, so what did it mean, and where did it come from?

It was a sign of injury. A really bad injury. Zim would only bleed like that if he'd lost a limb. It was a broken stream heading down the road, coming from around a corner.

Swallowing, hesitant, the Irken stepped out from the enshadowed sidewalk and crept up to the trail.

He wasn't much of a hunter/tracker, but the footprints were clear.

Cautiously checking left and right, Zim knelt down breifly, narrowing his eyes in confusion at what he saw.

The footprints weren't normal. There were three toes, not two; two normal and one like an opposable thumb on the inside of each foot. The digits were long and birdlike. The prints were at least twice the size of Zim's feet, maybe even bigger then the tallest's would be.

'What is this?'

He reached out to touch the bloody footprints in the slimy road.

"YOU THERE!"

Zim felt his cardiac muscle miss a beat and he chocked on air. Jumping up and whipping his head in the direction of the shout, down the road, the alien saw nothing. There was no one within sight. He stood tense, looking all around in silence, catching his breath, ready to fight or flight.

"Yes sir?"

Zim's antennas jerked at the second gruff voice, responding to the first, The response was distant, and the irken finally noticed some deformed, moving shadows on a wall, the makers of the shadows somewhere down the ally out of sight. A quieter conversation started between the creatures.

The voice had not addressed Zim, but someone else. He was still unnoticed.

In his relief the invader stood there just breathing the foul air for several seconds before realizing that he was standing in the open; a sitting duck.

Leaping nimbly back into the quiet ink-dark of the shadows on the roadside, Zim quickly started inching along the wall of a building. His pulse had sped up, breathing forcibly quieted yet heavy. He was conscious of the two beings talking a small distance away, across the wide road, and that he was going to have to pass within sight of that ally. At least, if he wanted to follow the blood he'd have to go that way. And for some reason that seemed the natural way to go; follow the blood, yeah, that's always smart, right?

Hurr durr duhhh...

As he snuck along, able to see further into the ally from where he hoped the lightlessness cloaked him, his angle to that smelly little road and the people on it getting smaller and smaller, the words of the conversation got clearer.

"The overlord is sending out a message. Said something isn't right."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

The second voice sounded slow, dumb, and deeper, either muscular or fat.

"He says some BEING from outside has broken in just recently."

The first one responded, it's voice a slippery hiss. The shadows on the dark, red-brick and graffiti, ally wall were clear now, displaying one very chunky, smaller thing, gremlin-like, and a floating, skeletal creature with hundreds of whispy, tentacle-hair-strands pouring down from its head to its back. Zim couldn't tell much more about either, except that the floating one had four, long, hag-raven limbs draping down among the tentacles, with long, curved claws on its fingers. The rounder one just looked like a fat goblin.

For a second Zim wondered if that raven-witch-jellyfish-thing had made the footprints and the blood, but one quick sniff told his antenna that it carried no hint of Irken blood, only bird diseases and fish slime.

He tightened his jaw, clenching his shark teeth together and kept moving, flat against the building behind him except for his pak, arms out to either side as he moved very, very slowly. He needed to get by without detection and he was drawn to listen in while trying to do so.

"What? What kind of thing? From where?"

"THAT DOESN'T MATTER IDIOT!"

The sharp sound of a slap echoed and the gremlin-one yelped, then growled. Zim jumped from the sudden sound of violence and froze for just a second.

"YOU would never understand anyway, you're too stupid. What matters is that I was sent to give you your orders."

A satisfying pause with no response from the second voice followed. Zim started inching along the wall again, ever so nervously.

"Now then, the intruder must be caught and brought to the overlord, you are to seek him out with a large group of others. You will report to me if you find anything. I will be completing MY orders of dragging the prisoner to his majesty the overlord's lair. The overlord has deemed the current containment of the little power-source to be in-effective if the outsider were to go looking for him. So then, you know where I'll be and why, and you know your job, GET GOING."

The short-limbed gremlin could be heard complaining sorely, walking off in some unseen direction.

Zim's thought processors were doing flips inside his pak. This had to mean him, they knew he was there and they were looking for him! And 'the prisoner,' Zim had a strong feeling that was Dib. The more dangerous seeming creature was going to get the boy. If Zim followed it, he would be hypothetically led right to his Dib-let.

He was about to move from where he'd frozen still, when the floating jellyfish-hagraven drifted quickly out of the ally onto the road, right towards Zim, not ten feet away. The Irken's eyes locked on the monster's orb-less, wrinkled, angular head in sudden fear and adrenaline, but it turned before he could move, and started down the road, following the same trail of blood Zim had been fascinated by. It hadn't sensed the Irken watching it with wide eyes and a tense expression of bestsartlement. Apparently the shadows were just as unnaturally poisoned-honey-thick to the citizens of the boy's mind as they had first looked to Zim. Either that, or the creature that passed him was completely blind, and hadn't smelled him either. Either way, it's lack of vision made things a little easier for Zim, unless it's other senses were heightened enough to make it impossible for him to hide once it noticed him. He'd have to be at his stealthiest either way.

Cautiously, he started softly trotting after the repugnant beast, along the side of the road, about twenty feet or so behind. The creature was focused on its job. It didn't stop or look back.

:\\\:

They were definitely following the blood trail, or at the very least, going along the exact same roads it streamed down.

an anorexic, vampiric looking equine monster covered in spines, had joined the floating jelly-fish-hagraven from some random road, apparently sent to help the first abomination at its task. Zim was still unnoticed in the shadows of the sidewalk, getting rather proud of his stealth- he just needed to watch out not to step on those spider cats from hell. They crunched, loudly, underfoot.

The vampiric pony-thing glanced pointedly down at the smears and drops of dark, glimmering pink that the two nightmare-things were trying not to step in.

"Looks to me like the overlord lost a good deal of blood."

The tentacle-witch gave a warning hiss but the equine continued.

"I wonder how that happened. In order to get a hit in on our master, this outsider must be a great deal more powerful then what I was told."

"SHUT UP YOU! Don't you dare use such a rebellious hinting in your words!" The witch snapped, getting right in the other's animalistic face. The anorexic, fanged pony turned away and quieted.

"Our all-powerful ruler was caught completely off guard is all." The tentacled one insisted loyally. The equine snorted, throwing its head back, and Zim noticed then that it was foaming at the mouth, half-rabid. Huh, figures.

The two up ahead stopped as the road dead-ended in the parking lot of a large, solemn, black and red building with barred windows. Zim recognized it, checking it off as the school.

The trail of drying and cracking blackened-pink blood led all the way up to the towering, spike-embedded double-doors.

"This is where our power source is being kept at the moment in a small cell, I will show you where. If it is still unconscious, it will be your job to carry the ugly thing on your back."

'Power source again?' Zim wondered, 'What was this about a power source? They WERE referring to his Dib-Dib, right?'

The equine snorted distastefully, as the two went across the large, grey expanse of cracking asphalt up to the towering building.

Zim realized several things very suddenly and unhappily.

First of all, he needed to get in that building. The only way he could do that, would be to cross a huge expanse of open territory from which he could be seen; the flat, empty parking lot surrounded the building on all sides. Stealth would be inexistent there. There were no hiding spots, not even shadows, the whole place was bathed in a reddish light.

The only obvious choice was to run hard and fast, strait for the door, though it would be a good idea to at least TRY to do that without being seen.

As usual, Zim didn't even bother to panic at the rather nerve-racking idea, he just got ready to do what he felt he had to, steeling himself a little. He looked around, always keeping one eye on the two beasts he'd followed to the skool. Given that this was supposedly being used for a prison, the building seemed entirely unguarded.

Zim had a moment of deja-vu, thinking back to breaking Dib out of the mental hospital. Did no one value the human like Zim did? At least this 'overlord' person recognized that it's chosen prison was unsuitable for Dib, and was planning to move him.

'But I will get there first! Zim shall have victory!"

The Irken purred, smirking excitedly. There was no one within sight. The floating thing and it's horse companion opened the doors, and slipped inside.

As soon as the doors shut, the lithe alien shot out of hiding like a bullet, streaking across a parking lot big enough for a mega-mall, legs pumping, military boots clacking.

He was one quarter of the way there when something very loud gave an eagle-screetch, a whoop of flapping wings slammed a burst of air against the ground, right on top of Zim, a huge shadow passing over him. The Irken stumbled, eyes going wide, breath hitching. He didn't slow down. He ran harder. He didn't bother to look back. All that mattered was that he'd been discovered, and beyond all else he needed to get to his Dib. This changed nothing. He might have to fight his way there now, if this thing was alerting others, but he had a sharp idea that his arial attacker wouldn't be able to fit through the doors; that would be one less battle for him.

Run, pant, gasp, breathe, faster.

Another shriek echoed as, what Zim saw on the corner of his vision as an enormous, tattered black sheet, turned in the air and dove strait at him. Fear adrenaline pumping, Zim sucked in a hard breath, tripped himself, and tucked and rolled, skidding to a stop. His mechanical limbs shot out of his pak, the tips gleaming white, charging, then firing lazors, within a fraction of a moment. He could think quickly in combat. He enjoyed it's thrill.

The black sheet didn't have the chance to change course. The heat of Zim's attack ignited it's flammable body and it crackled and burned bright, lighting up the area like an explosion. Screaming and appearing to writhe, it swooped back up into the air after almost hitting the ground where Zim would have been had he not stopped. The Irken took off running again. Faster, faster, faster. His pulse drummed in his antenna, his breathing was heavy. There, the school, he had to get in, he was past half-way to the door now.

The fire-gleam illuminating the area shifted, danced, and rolled as the sheet monster, now a ball of fire raining ashes, swooped, circled, dove, and writhed through the air. Zim was almost to the door when it focused its wrath back on him, it's dying wish revenge. It streamlined down, becoming a strait pointed arrow of flame, ready to impale its enemy.

Zim saw it coming but he was so close, he was sure he could make it; he'd force himself to. He could make it, faster, faster, just a little faster, He wasn't stopping this time.

Faster, run, pant, gasp, legs starting to burn numbly, running, as fast as irkenly possible, legs almost a cheetah blur.

The diving inferno was crumbling, shrinking, it's burnt remains sifting to the slimy ground as burnt grey powder but not changing course, as determined as its prey.

Just feet away from his goal, pulse pounding, leaping up the stairs, Zim didn't bother with the handles. He threw himself against the door to smash it open. A bruising pain and stone-resistance met him. With a cry he fell back onto his rear, with an almost dislocated shoulder.

No! No! NO! It couldn't be LOCKED!

Whipping around in terror, Zim did all he could think of, firing lazers in a panicked frenzy before losing hope. In his very last resort he brought out two, small, stubbier metal limbs from the right and left of his pak and turned on his force field, hoping beyond hope that it would work here.

He felt a part of the impact against the blue spherical shield, as the monster struck him, and he was thrown against the unyielding doors and bounced off again slightly. The pain was absorbed by the shield, as he'd hoped.

When he dared to disengage the blue ball force-field around himself, Zim saw ashes all around, but no monster.

He won... How simple. Of course, it, it was nothing! He was a trained Irken invader! That torn up blanket was never a match for Ziiiim! He grinned, and started chuckling nervously to himself.

"I am so amazing, hehehe, I am Ziiiiim!"

However given the multiple shrieks and snarls sounding off from all around like a pack of alerted wolves, he figured he'd need to get going. It seemed he'd set off some alarm. Now it was battle-time... Or it would be... Soon.

Right now he still needed to get to his earth-child.

And with a sense of irony, he noticed the bold print 'pull' signs on each large door.

Oh.

Well, that explained some things. Pull, not push... Oh...

**:\\\: **

**Disclaimer: As tempting as it was to slap a tattoo on that nightmare-horse's butt and call it Rainbow-Dash, that had nothing to do with MLP. Dib said in the episode 'Vindicated' that ponies know what we are thinking. Thus, I consider it cannon for him to be scared of ponies. Besides, it's a vampire pony. Happy?**

**Zim: *chewing on Dib***

**Dib: ;_; *pouting in the emo corner***


	11. Follow the Irken Blood Trail

**Rated Teen for Dark spookiness and violence?**

**I'm having fun with this so called 'plot' thing. XD I feel like not too much happens in this chapter, but I'll let you all be the judge of that- REVIEW! I don't care if it's two sentences or multiple rambling paragraphs! Review! Let me know what you think, suggestions, constructive critisism, random things you noticed, questions you want to ask (I'll always try to respond somehow) whatever you like!**

**This chapter is brought to you by Goodwill; because I found a perfect Dib-trenchcoat there. ****Goodwill; selling cheaply priced clothes since whatever year they opened, reminding humankind not to walk around naked! :D**

**Enjoy the next chapter of Prisoner of Nightmares!**

**:\\\:**

Feeling stupid after his little adrenaline induced mishap with the cursed, ugly, spike-embedded door, the invader gripped the cold, metallic handle, and now pulled, not pushed, it open; slowly, just a few inches.

Zim's black antenna were perked and twitching, straining for any hint of sound. Nothing came from inside the prison, but after he'd burned the petty sheet-bat guard to ash, it's screeches had doubtlessly alerted plenty of other beings throughout the city. When Zim shut his eyes tight and concentrated only on what his black feelers were picking up, he could smell person-scents, pick up heat signatures, sense movement; but no worthy threats were close to him. He peered around the door, into sheer darkness for a moment, then jerked back apprehensively, waiting, muscles tight. When nothing happened after several seconds, he slid into the skool with the dangerous, silent grace of an assassin, right into the mild safety and enormous danger of the veil of blackness.

Enormous, liquid-ruby eyes adjusted to the lack of light immediately, the conqueror's night vision flicking on, hundreds of tiny details and lenses in his half-artificial orbs shifting and spinning and dilating in perfect, unnatural harmony, to change how he took in light, and perceived his surroundings.

He looked out into a long, large, entrance hall, just like the skool he knew, but twisted, the details changed. Along the walls, where the normal school would have had lockers, hundreds of hanging birdcages in various sizes were lined up, a rare few containing the skeletons of long dead anthros.

It was all black and blue, with gothic spikes, spires, and twists here and there, and a sharp, impaling, torturous look to it all.

Zim glanced back outside through the still open door for a long moment, before closing it. It creaked shut and gave an echoing thump when the hinges stopped it, completely shut. Zim felt a flaring nervousness at the finality of the action, but it would protect him from getting attacked from behind for now. He was an Irken invader. Even if the door were to lock itself, he could always find a way out of here once he needed it. He was ZIM! Right now, he just needed to find Dib.

Just before he could think to sniff out the boy's scent, Zim noticed a particular sheet of paper on an out-of-place, moulded, cracked bulletin board next to the doors. The written article was long, and smudged, but the first few sentences were what had caught Zim's attention.

"Upon vanquishing 'The Bitters,' our new master has declared that the former palace and fortress 'Skool' be renovated, into our main prison, and that a greater castle be built in his honor. All shall hai-"

It was around there that the paper had been dampened, and torn, but Zim could guess the last words were 'all hail whoever-the-new-ruler-was'

... This, was significant... Wasn't it? But Zim doubted whether this made any difference in finding his Dib right now. Finding his Dib was all he cared about. Then he wanted to get out, back to reality, WITH Dib. It sounded so simple, but when the details of the landscape and it's citizens were added, things got a little harder.

Zim left the paper to continue coating itself in germs and filth where it sat pinned to the cold, damp wall, and quickly light-footed down the way. He was being surprisingly quiet for having metal-bottomed combat boots.

As he hurried along, he remembered the now slightly thinned and drying trail of Irken blood- when he almost stepped in it, and began to follow the sense of the two monsters he'd seen earlier. Continuing right alongside the dark pink river again, he puzzled things over in his head. That little article he'd seen had really gotten his attention. Who was in charge now? Who had grown so terrifying in Dib's head, that they could take down the mutated school-teacher? Zim remembered how enormous and powerful and feared she was, so how had she been 'vanquished,' as the sheet had said?

And on an unrelated note, why in the names of the tallest was there a sickeningly long and thick trail of Irken blood here? Why was there Irken blood here at all! It signified an Irken present, and it hadn't come from Zim! Plus, how could so much life-liquid pour out of any normal sized Irken? It wasn't possible. Zim doubted whether even a tallest could lose that much and not stumble.

The curiosities here were getting to him. The longer he was here the less he seemed to know. Puzzles kept showing up, pestering him into wanting to solve them. Zim disapproved of this place more and more and he wanted to get Dib and get out; yet, he was still curious. He was sickened, yet interested.

The skool smelled of abandonment, and swampy wetness. There was the swirling stink of mold, and possible strange fumes and gasses, occasional greasy puddles, but there was a huge lack of presences, or 'person-scents', which made the scents Zim COULD pick up all the more clear and distinguishable. He slowed to focus on his predatorial tracking abilities, antenna seeking out any hint of his quarry.

There were the two beasts from a minute ago- the ones who'd led Zim here, But there were also a couple of other presences, two, close together so they overlapped. Their smells seemed a little older, from an hour or two ago if Zim had to guess. One presence was somehow almost entirely covered by the fumes from the Irken life-goo, as if it's scent were something akin to it naturally, or it had been coated in the alien blood. Zim couldn't tell much about that creature, but it's essence gave him a horrible feeling in his squiddily spooch. He didn't like it. It was too strong, too big, and above all, much too familiar. Like something that haunted the background but was never directly seen. It was an intimate fammillair. Prickles of apprehension shuddered down Zim's spine.

He focused on the last presence. If the invader hadn't been paying close attention, he might have missed it completely, it was so small, weak, and faint, completely unlike the others that stood out so well, let alone the powerful beast who's smell overlapped that fainter one. There were pockets of air where the sense thickened slightly, as if the being had dragged and bumped, leaving some of its essence here and there where the cracked and jagged stone floor had cut the less-then-awake being as it was pulled along.

Fear, weakness, tiredness, possible unconsciousness, and the soft, burnt marshmallow, grape-flavored, and salty smell of Dib. That's what that last scent was. Dib.

Dib! Little Dib-let! Zim felt a rush of varying emotion. He had found his fragile human! Or at least, he was on the right track!

He picked up the pace, clenching his jaw in determination as he started to run down the dreary entrance hall, beside the smeared pink. He had to get to his Dib. His stomach twisted with ferocity at the thought of what he'd do to anything in his way. He WOULD reach his Dib-ling, regardless of what the boy's mind-realm threw at him.

At this rate it would be easy. The lack of guards in this place was seriously unnerving.

Zim's path down the entrance hall turned a corner, and the blood trailed under a door. The alien reached out, turned the freezing metal handle, and opened it, without caution, without thinking. Nothing jumped out to attack him. There had been nothing there to see him. The building seemed more and more dead and deserted the further Zim went.

It would be the perfect trick, as far as a place to keep something valuable. No one would expect to find something hidden here with so little protection. Never the less, Zim didn't like it. He frowned, as he entered the next room, still on high alert, looking all around.

The irken stepped right out onto a suspended stone catwalk of sorts, finding himself looking into a room of humongous size. Spider web strands as thick as Zim's waist, filled the room forming ladders, platforms, and generally a way around the chaotic mess of silky-yet-strong support beams for various things. Mostly, the room was filled to the brim with small cages, formed out of the webbing, all stacked up half hazardly, chaotically, like chicken coops in industrial farms; supposedly the poor birds would chew their own limbs off from stress and kill themselves. The Irken shuddered. The details in his eyes shifted constantly, as he looked all around for the tiniest sign of life. Even though his antenna sensed nothing except a few strange bugs or pests such as mice and bats, he completely expected something to jump out at him any second through the jungle of silvery weaving. There were too many places for things to hide, and he was marching right across the center of the room. He hated feeling so exposed.

Zim pushed out concern once again, single-mindedly following the river of pink down the metal bridge. It went all the way across the walk, all the way across the room, to another door.

The smell of Dib was getting stronger, exciting him, quickening his pulse. After eight days of failure he could finally get his Dib back. He felt almost frenzied or panicked after having almost lost the boy. He wanted to grab him, squeeze him, have physical contact with the boy at last for some reason. His squiddily spooch tingled. Dib had to be close. Zim could feel it! The invader broke into a run across the expanse towards the next door, vaguely aware of the downwards slope of his long path, as if he were heading underground.

:\\\:

With shaky breaths, Dib braced himself, palms flat against the floor, pushing his chest up off the cold stone, carefully turning his body so he could sit up and look out through the metal bars of his cage.

What happened? Where was he?

He felt a distress and panic when he realized he couldn't even remember his own name. He was in pain, weak, and tired. Everything was still blurry and smeared when he tried to think. He wasn't quite awake yet.

He didn't bother trying to stand up. It would have been too painful. Besides, when he'd stretched out while laying down, his empty stomach practically bit into his nerves. It felt better to remain slouched or curled up. Somehow it helped, but it didn't negate the fact that he hadn't eaten anything in who knew how long.

Somehow, he achingly shuffled and scooted over to the bars, cautiously looking out through them to try to see around. It looked like a pretty typical underground dungeon. More cells lined the opposite wall, for as far as he could see down the walk; there was one small lantern hanging on the ceiling about ten feet away to the left, and no other light sources.

Dib was straining his human eyes in the blackness, and his head was spinning. He wondered for a moment if he was sick and hallucinating. He felt so faint and shaky, and so cold!

Sitting there, just behind the crisscrossing metal rods that kept him in his tiny box of space, Dib slouched over a little more and adjusted his legs for better balance, sitting almost indian style, trying not to fall over as he raised his arms to hug himself and shiver. He was freezing and felt so... alone. Unsaveable. He felt an itch at the back of his eyes like he was going to cry. He was still so confused though, he didn't understand what was going on, and his thoughts were so sluggish and tired, lacking the will to do much for him. He sat there for a minute or two, with nothing happening. Once he considered loudly asking whether anybody was there, or could hear him, maybe someone would talk to him, but his throat was too dry and cracked to do much more then choke, which hurt. He kept his mouth shut and sat shivering in the dark.

A door creaked open, then closed, somewhere a short distance away, and strange clopping and pitter-pattering noises struck against the stone, animalistic foot-falls were coming towards him. Out of nervous fear, Dib mustered his strength to scoot back, pushing and pulling himself away from the door to his cell, somehow managing to reach a dark corner and curl up in it, shutting his eyes tight. Something seemed wrong, unnatural about whatever whim coming towards him. Dib didn't want it to see him. The approaching sounds were strange and intentfull, a murmur of low voices, horse-hooves, and thick, heavy feet.

It was no use. The sound got louder and closer and stopped right in front of the human's cell.

"It's right there in the corner. That's what we're here for." A nasally voice mumbled and Dib's hope vanished, but he curled up tighter, not wanting to look up as metal keys jangled.

"Wait,"

"What?"

"Be quiet a second."

Complete silence followed, drawn out into long, strained minutes. Dib took long, slow, soundless, shaky breaths, willing himself to become invisible while whatever they were hearing had their attention. Then the nasally, hissing one spoke again, with a sort of angry urgency.

"There's something here."

A pause.

"What do you mean?"

"It smells strange... It shouldn't be here, it's not from here... It's that THING from OUTSIDE!" Furious, the hagraven lifted its hooked witch-nose to smell the air, sunken eyes intense as it hissed, tentacles twitching and thrashing.

"I can hear it, I can feel its vibrations! The creature is close!"

Dib peeked up to see what was happening, shuddering to see three creatures of his mind so mutated that they didn't even resemble anyone from his real life anymore. There was a floating, avian-human-jellyfish commander-in-rags, a half-zombified equine, and the fat, humanoid jail-guard, with it's small head perched at the end of a serpentine neck, wearing a scant suit of armor.

Acting quickly, the witch-bird turned to the jail-gaurd, jabbing him in the chest-plate with one clawed finger as it spoke in a rush.

"Open that cage! Arkersix and I MUST get the power-source to the overlord before that intruder of our realm can reach him! Summon all your fighters and STOP THAT CREATURE! Do whatever you must, but if it leaves this building it had better be in chains or you will be held soley responsible!"

The keys were jammed into the lock. The lock clicked, the door was swung open and the metal crashed when it hit the wall and swung half-way back on its hinges from the force that pushed it open. The floating commander charged in.

"Com'ere!"

The taloned, avian hand reached out towards the terrified boy. Coming briefly to his senses from adrenaline, Dib kicked out and tried to back away, but was already huddled into a corner.

:\\\:

Zim felt his insides jump up into his neck when a short scream reached his antenna. Despite its soreness and chocked edge, Zim still recognized the voice as he ran even harder through the dungeon maze.

Dib.

His eyes bugged out of his head as he panted, fighting the desire to call out to his human.

He heard something yelling, a sharp cracking sound, Dib crying out again before going quiet, and sudden footsteps retreating. Zim felt Dib's incredibly close presence moving away from him now and snarled loudly. How dare they! He'd show them! He'd KILL THEM! He'd kill ALL OF THEM! They would not keep Zim's chosen mate from him!

The monsters that were dragging his earthling off were just around the next corner, only meters ahead. He KNEW IT!

His lip curled back in a sort of killer's grin, exposing fangs, he would charge right in and SLAUGHTER them all. After all his stress from Dib laying unconscious while he could do nothing to help, he'd enjoy the bloodshed and violence. Yessss, he'd shred them all right open!

Zim prepared to swing around the corner.

Someone shouted a command.

From around the bend, a blurred, fast moving something leapt right into the alien's way, and Zim almost tripped and fell backwards trying not to barrel right into it. He stumbled, windmilling his arms and attempting to analyze his foe.

A black, tar-composed, face-less figure, just shorter then Zim, stood in an all too calm position, completely still and statuesque in the middle of the dungeon hall, where it had not been before, featureless, like a silhouette.

In no mood for tolerance, or even fear, or more then two seconds estimation, Zim hissed challengingly. Getting no response, he gritted his teeth in ferocity, backed off several paces, then charged to go around. He had no interest in this creature. He only wanted to reach his Dib-Dib. The being that had obstructed him made no obvious moves, and didn't even look like a worthy threat. Zim didn't think, driven by fury.

The moment the invader had passed the tar statue, something wet and sticky, like a frog's tongue, shot out and wrapped around one of his boot's ankles. The monster's now-stretched arm pulled back hard and fast. The alien gasped as he was jerked back, his chest swinging down to hit the ground with his legs no longer holding him up. His momentum was reversed like the snap of elastic. The air was knocked out of him bruisingly when he hit the stone. Quickly being dragged across the floor towards the gleaming, black mass, the Irken automatically reached out, flailing for anything solid to grab, shock pulsing in his chest at the sudden attack. His hands found the bars of a cell in the wall and grabbed on, stopping his movement but straining his muscles from the force it took to hold on.

The inky monster bubbled up some strange-toned gargling sound and increased the tension in its one stretched arm, it's thick-liquid hand tightening on the Irken's ankle. Consumed in the calculations of the fight, and the cornered feeling from being unable to move, Zim's spider legs zipped out, having become his favorite offense and defense, and one stabbed down into the black inkiness.

All it did was get stuck. His enemy did not respond to being stabbed.

The creature pulled harder again. Zim had to strain himself painfully to hang onto the bars where he sort of lay on his side on the floor, one spider leg trapped, but already charging up the others to shoot lazers. He gritted his teeth, and tightened his grip, ignoring several red-eyed rodents that had come out of nowhere and were watching with wicked purpose.

Zim's attention was suddenly drawn to a hissing noise, black smoke rising from where the monster was gripping him, it's hand melting through his boot like a slow acid. Zim fired the lazers. The tar creature turned red from the heat but gave no other reaction, quickly fading to dark again. That didn't work. Zim needed another plan. He screamed out a noise of frustration, trying to struggle.

Vibrations were scuttling across the floor in his direction, more enemies coming; more rodents. Their numbers had increased frighteningly quick and now they were creeping in towards their helpless prey, wondering if they could get a chunk of Zim's flesh before his current attacker could destroy him.

He needed a way out, now, what else could he do?

It would cost a small amount of energy from his charging cell, but at the moment Zim couldn't bring himself to care. He needed an escape. From his pak he sent a heavy jolt of electricity through his own, immune body, into his attacker.

It was useless. Still no reaction. The irken felt a heavy wave of fear. He was losing. He was out of all basic plans. Zim's boot had been melted through and his ankle was starting to slowly sting and burn, the sensation quickly increasing its intensity. Zim's arms couldn't hold onto the metal cell bars much longer. If he let go he'd be pulled right into the black, acidic figure, leering down at him; he'd be consumed and melted! He was falling into distress as he turned to see the hoard of mutant, pox covered, red eyed rats now advancing in a rush. He was trapped for them. He had no room to get out of this. Nothing was working. It was too much too quick. He fell into full panic.

With a snarl he frantically swung out the spider legs that had proved useless against the slime-creature, stabbing in all directions, scattering several of the large rats, and impaling several others, causing gory explosions of disease ridden blood and guts. A few of the vermin hesitated, but most continued forward unstoppably, hungrily.

Zim's arms ached and throbbed painfully. He stabbed through several rats with one mechanical limb, and flung them at the tar-person out of sheer desperation. They hit the black substance and stuck to it like glue, immediately fizzing and screeching as they started to smoke.

Then suddenly, the burning grip on Zim's ankle was released. The alien fell limply against the floor from where he'd been suspended several inches during all the tugging. The inky monster enveloped the rats, sucking them into its mass, smoke drifting up from it for several seconds. Then, to the invader's immense relief, it seemed to completely forget him, going for the easier, tastier prey it had just discovered. Zim got up off the floor rather shakily. The tar-thing melted into a puddle and spread forward across the floor, capturing several rats that ran right onto its sticky substance and enveloping them like the others for digestion.

The vermin that seemed to have come randomly out of nowhere started to retreat as they realized their dwindling numbers, and Zim hesitated before running on in the way he'd been going. He wasn't interested in seeing what would happen between the tar beast and the rats, and he really didn't want to be there when there were no more rats for it to eat. He wasn't even interested in ending the fight. From what he'd tried, he didn't believe he could hurt that thing in any normal way. He had better things to worry about- Dib. This was all nothing but a petty interruption. It was below his worry. He was a mighty irken! -calm down, just calm down, deep breaths- NOTHING COULD DESTROY ZIM!

He needed to find his human.

Zim charged around the corner he'd planned to follow, and realized suddenly that in the confusion he'd lost Dib's scent. He stopped dead where he was, antenna twitching. Dib's presence was faint, if not gone.

No! NO! CURSES! Zim ground his teeth, and yelled in frustration, fisting his hands so tight his claws dug into his own skin. DAMMIT! But this wasnt the end, he could still find Dib! These monsters wouldn't stop him! The blood! The irken blood! He'd been following it so far, and what little was left of Dib's smell indicated he'd been dragged alongside it once again. Zim's path was still clear. Just keep following the trail of injury.

He was getting tired of running, inhuman 'lung' organs stinging from the air, but he took off again, driven by determination and the strength of semi-maternal instincts, the absolute need to protect his mate, who had been taken from him. Zim would find Dib. He WOULD. He just kept focussing on that, again and again. It would keep him going, and keep him sane.

The Irken panted as he ran fast and hard down the empty, stone hall, walls lined with cells, and occasional weaponry, equipment, or a very old, uncomfortable looking chair or table. He was trying desperately to catch up to those ahead of him and out of sight and hearing. He was fast. He was catching up.

When he stumbled for the third time he finally looked down at his ankle. The tar-monster that he'd left long behind had left his boot in melted pieces. It was slowing him down. Frustrated, Zim kicked it off, then decided that having one bare-foot and one not-bare-foot would only make things worse. He kicked off his other boot as well, just leaving them both there as he ran on again. His ankle was raw and sore, but he ignored it.

Zim's antenna were raised and alert. He could guess he'd been detected, and that the thing he ran into back there had been meant to stop him. Chances were, there would be more road-blocks along the way. Zim ground his teeth some more and growled to himself, antenna twitching in irritation as he started to think. He needed a plan against these creatures, some sort of... WEAPONS!

A rack of torture equipment hung on the wall up ahead, and Zim gathered enough common sense to grab a long-handled, rusty, enchanted-looking mace-club-thing as he whisked by. He could probably use a handheld weapon. At the very least he could throw it for a distraction, and it could probably pack a harder blow then his little fists, despite all Zim's Irken strength.

It had caught his eye as the best weapon he'd seen so far in the entire dungeon, and it had a strap so he could sling it over his shoulder, attaching it to him like a duffle bag.

It was heavy, but Zim was strong. In his self-absorbed confidence he was sure he could use it. He just wondered for a second, if it would be worth the trouble it might cause, as it thumped against his back with each pace as he ran.

The previous hold-up hadn't stalled Zim for more then a couple minutes. Already Dib's smell was getting close again as the alien worked through the maze of hallways, always following the pink liquid road. A maniacal laugh struggled out of him as he ran. Nothing could stop the mighty Zim!

:\\\:

Dib opened his eyes, coming back to consciousness after being knocked out for the second time in just a couple hours. In seconds he managed to realize he'd been thrown onto the back of the zombie horse he'd seen earlier through his cell bars, and was straddling it in the usual riding fashion, leaned forward against its putrid neck while he had slept. His hands were tied behind his back.

The horse apparently had six limbs, or could grow as many as it wanted, as a pair of humanoid arms sprouting from just behind the equine's front legs, were reached back to hold him on, so Dib wouldn't fall off, the cold hands against his back making him feel sick and tense.

As multiple frightening realizations hit him; it was always a bit unnerving for anyone to wake up and not be in their own bed in their own room, let alone in this situation; Dib jerked slightly, twitchily, waking up. The zombie-horse, who the tentacled hagraven had addressed as Arkersix, felt Dib's movement and slowed thoughtfully.

"I think it might be waking up."

He grumbled in an annoyed tone. Dib quickly shut his eyes, going completely limp again. He wasn't interested in getting knocked out again.

He was still weak, and not thinking very clearly, but fear and adrenaline gave him a small boost. He just wished it would be enough to leap off the horses's back and take off running. His heart thudded heavily as he fought to make his breathing seem natural and calm.

He had no idea what was going on, or where he was being taken, but he was helpless. Helpless and afraid yet again.

The hissing, sharper voice of the apparent commander spoke up,

"It should still be a while before the sedative wears off enough that the power-source will start to cause trouble. We don't have a lot of that poison and can't get more except from the overlord. We have to save it. He looks completely unconscious to me."

Dib took in the information he was hearing thoughtfully.

"How many doses are left?"

Arkersix questioned unhappily.

"I'll check."

There was a funny clattering, mechanical noise. Dib opened one eye but the hagraven was out of his line of vision, and he didn't dare look up and turn his head, despite his sleepy curiousity. He didn't want them to know he'd woken up.

"Three more doses. It should be more then enough to reach the overlord."

Dib looked around as much as he could without moving his head. They were in a stone tunnel with a few, rare lights; growing objects and small, dead creatures with glowing tails or antenna, nailed to, or hung from, the ceiling. The inignorable echoes made every sound seem more cryptic.

Dib felt a painful, sick sensation of fear and distress. He was a lone prisoner in a city of enemies and monsters. He just wanted to get out.

One of the creatures escorting the boy to their master loudly sniffed at the air. Arkersix spoke.

"I can smell that intruder again. Whatever that thing is, it's catching up."

The hagraven snarled.

"The prison overseer Smacky will stop him. I believe he organized all his men at the last main room. The outsider can't get past them."

An unexplainable flicker of hope jumped into Dib at what they said. He wondered vaguely who they were talking about. So he wasn't the only one who didn't belong here? Somehow that was nice to know. He had a mild sensation that he knew who it was too. He wondered if he might see them soon.

:\\\:

The last stone-walled, cold, dungeon tunnel ended in a dead end with an impressive door leading beyond. Zim slowed his pace, cocking his head as he walked up. The door was large, wooden, and dark-red, thin script written on it said; 'Entrance way to Black Rest.' There were candleholders with flickering candles arranged in no order on the wall, chaotically and uneven, but offering light. The door handle was not made out of metal like the others, but what looked like finger bones.

Zim made a face of disgust as his insides clenched. He hesitantly took the door handle, and pulled it open.

The room he looked into was like the inside of a blue, violet, and grey version of a roman colosseum.

The pink blood trailed strait across the center of it, along with Dib's scent.

Halfway across the room, was a large group of beasts and figures, waiting for him, eyes fixed on the alien now standing in the half-open doorway.

**:\\\: **

**CLIFFHANGER! Hurr durr. I know, I'm evil...**


	12. Blood Games Arena

**Warnings: Rated teen to high-teen for lots of violence, blood, gore, and minor drug reference.**

**I'm glad you guys are enjoying this so much! I know I am! And there's lots more to come! :D I write almost entirely off of momentary inspiration, so offer up your plot ideas!**

**Sorry this update took so long, action isn't my strongest point so I needed to do a lot of editing before I was happy with it. Feel free to point out errors, offer suggestions, whatever ya like. Just review! Please! Reviews make me feel all happy and fuzzy, and encourage me to spend more time on this, letting me update sooner!**

**This chapter is brought to you by... What? Oh, never mind. They're dead now. On with the show! :D**

**~~~•~~~**

"My lord!? Erm, what an honor to meet you here! I assumed you would be at your castle as you said, not-"

"It's gotten too dangerous. The intruder is a threat to be reckoned with. I've caught his scent. I'm not sure whether the dungeon keeper can stop him, so I'm going to make SURE he's taken care of. How much poison do you have left?"

"About two to three doses your majesty."

"Give the boy another dose to make sure he's unconscious, then put him in this. Arkersix, you'll continue carrying his containment unit to where we decided to bring the human. Merkig, you are to head back the way you came and find the intruder. If he's still alive once you get to him, give him a shot of the venom. Bring him to me, dead or alive."

"Yes my lord."

:\\\:

Zim felt his cardiac muscle miss a beat.

No one moved yet, twenty-two pairs of eyes on the intruder, the atmosphere thick and tense with heavily thudding pulses and locked muscles, everyone going stiff as statues as the realm's intruder stood in the doorframe of the trap.

An entire group of animalistic beasts stood central in the room, waiting.

The deformed, stocky, human-looking prison guard held a glowing, ghostly chain, working as a leash for another black-acid monster. Zim almost swore aloud, knowing what those could do from earlier. He gritted his teeth.

Aside from that were about ten devil-horned, ear-less, tail-less, hair-less wolf things, and what looked like ten more 'reanimated' panther-like big-cat carcasses, with spines down their backs, and what skin was left on the zombies was shiny with slime, not furred.

Zim quickly assessed his options. Either he could run all the way back through the dungeon- and completely lose Dib, or enter the huge, colosseum-arena room.

Zim hesitated several seconds, face blank, then stepped in, closing the door behind himself, feeling his chest tighten anxiously. It was the only real choice.

Red alien eyes took everything in, sending it to his pak as simple calculations. Number of enemies, estimated abilities, strength, weight, speed, weaknesses. He needed to think fast.

Adrenaline began to flow through his veins.

Zim glanced at the silhouette-statue on the transparent blue-green ghostly leash and growled. Bald, zombie animals he could handle without... Well... At least he knew he wouldn't DIE, but unnatural demonic looking things he didn't understand were a different matter. This didn't look good.

Why weren't they charging in to attack though?

The Irken had dropped to a slightly more defensive stance, arms out at his sides, claws unsheathed. The room was enormous, providing around fifty feet between him and his enemies. It was quiet. Zim waited for them to move first, strategizing how to get them scattered, divide and conquer.

One or two of the felines flicked their skeletal tails. The creatures were looking from one to another with a sense of unsure worry. A whole minute of hesitance passed. The Irken narrowed one eye and widened the other, more and more confused. After a thought, Zim started to creep slowly along the curving wall that protected the grandstands around the arena, and all eyes followed him. He kept his gaze on the centered monsters as he moved stiffly along the perimeter. A few of his enemies were giving each other more and more frantic looks and Zim's eyes darted as he analyzed all of their motions and body language, trying to discover what was going on.

Zim's steps echoed around, the soft clicking of alien claws; he'd had to leave his boots back in the dungeon and was now barefoot; was the only sound in the quiet, aside from rare growls, barks, and yips, as the tension kept growing thicker. One of the hellhounds started to fidget. They all kept looking at one another in a sort of nervous, hurried confusion.

Zim turned to the jail-guard-beast-leader, looking over its sagging face and sunken eyes, small head perched on a serpentine neck above a short yet muscular body. It watched the Irken almost solemnly or even with a hint of cautious, misplaced respect, but also said nothing, unmoving.

The strange feeling and unnerving atmosphere thickened. The nightmares looked almost as confused with Zim, as Zim was at the lack of action.

The invader thought suddenly, that since they weren't yet beating him to death, he might just be able to get some information. Wouldn't hurt to yell out a simple question if they were going to attack anyway, right? He doubted they'd just let him walk right out through the door. And there was only one question that he REALLY needed answered.

"Where is my Dib?" He snapped out, loud and threatening, eyes narrowing and glowing warning-red, a growl on his tongue.

The armored beast-handler shifted his weight to the other foot somewhat, looking even more confused, giving an 'I already told you' face. Zim wondered if the monster's cats and dogs had understood and their master hadn't, they gave more of a response then armored guard did.

Several cocked their heads, or made little noises of growling conversation, seeming to think the green being said something funny and should have known the answer, or that Zim was perhaps committing some sort of blasphemy. Three or four wolves narrowed their glowing, yellow, green, and orange eyes, suddenly very suspicious and turning hostile.

The monsters were realizing more and more that something wasn't right, or at least went against whatever reason they had for not attacking. It seemed someone somewhere had misunderstood something. Awkward.

Then one of the angered wolves barked, snapping its jaws, and suddenly broke from the group, lurched forward in a charge at the Irken. Zim's antenna jerked up and his eyes widened, getting a sharp thrill of anticipation as the foe shot forward. Well, about time.

Several other zombies scrambled to follow the first, then seemed to think better of it, stopping, but all ready to run in, watching to see what would happen as Zim crouched defensively. The Irken drew in a slow breath while the beast crossed the long expanse, claws clattering against hard, cold, cracked, grey stone.

Green lips pulled back to show sharp, white teeth in a bloodthirsty smile, as his thoughtless enemy closed the long distance between them in swift bounds.

The hundreds of wax-dripping candles along the walls and around the coliseum's rows seats, threw dancing, writhing shadows against the ground.

Zim's own black mirror image flared up behind him like something possessed. Just five feet away, the wolf saw the impossible size and shape of the shadow, not matching up with its maker, and flinched, skidding, trying to stop, reconsidering for a fraction of a second.

Zim's metal spider limbs shot forward like lightning. There was a tearing thunk and crunch.

Ear piercing, high pitched, a chocked scream tore out of the canine's throat before it fell limp, silvery metal sticking out of its back. As the body slumped to the floor, Zim swiftly withdrew the spider limb going back to a defensive stance, and thick, black blood splurted out from the puncture holes of the hellhound like from a clogged hose; the monster's heart had been skewered through its chest.

The alien didn't even need to growl. His eyes when he looked up at the startled group of beasts was a challenge in itself. A 'Do you dare?' sort of smirk was on his face, expression wild with his victory kill and the desire for more violence, more blood.

Instead of all rushing towards him at once, the creatures seemed even more confused then ever, looking between each other and jabbering loudly and argumentatively in their animal-langueges, a few starting to pace and squirm just a little with frenzied indecision. No one was interested in rushing in for revenge.

They were all keeping wary eyes on Zim's currently far too innocent looking shadow, having seen the way it transformed. It hadn't matched with its maker.

The irken's challenging grin simply fell off his face. After staring in disbelief for a moment, he decided he'd had enough of this and couldn't be bothered to spend any more time waiting for a bunch of stupid animals to decide whether or not they felt like killing him today. He had a human to find. With a small huff to dispel his growing unease, Zim started walking again, not paying any more attention to the beasts. If they weren't going to attack, fine. It was disconcerting and... Weird, and it was driving him nuts with confusion; what on earth were they thinking? Some mistake had been made...it was like Zim wasn't supposed to be there, even though they'd been expecting the intruder... but Dib was more important then any confusion or curiosity. Zim was here on a mission!

The alien had only gone a few steps when there was a thick splashing, and he turned to see something like a small, dark, blurred cannonball just before it slammed into him, splattering into globs against his shoulder, and knocking him sideways into the wall.

Something started hissing far too close to his antenna, and he smelled smoke and a melting rubber-plastic-metal smell as his shoulder guard started to melt and his upper arm tingled and burned horribly. The sugary scent of dissolving Irken flesh went up with the steam and smoke.

The invader gave a yelp, eyes widening and more feral then ever as he clutched and scratched at the wound, clawing off the substance the leashed tar creature had spat onto him from fifty feet away. The acid burned through his sleeve easily, going deep into the green-being's skin before he could pry most of it off him. It hurt! Oh it hurt to move! It was going into the muscle! He wouldn't be able to use that arm... He gritted his teeth and snarled and growled, furious.

All the creatures had gone quiet the moment Zim yelped in pain. All at once some realization washed away all their confusion and argument. Apparently the fact that the substance had been able to harm the alien, solved the puzzle that'd kept them from attacking. A wolf howled, a panther yowled, and they all rushed forward in a stampede of claws and teeth and angry, reeking undead.

Zim's attention was pulled from his wound to the oncoming threat, looking up startled, one hand still clutching his throbbing injury as that arm was left limp at his side. He was cornered against the wall with no space to back up. Zim jerked his head to the right, towards the exit door, but he could tell the beasts would cut him off before he reached it. They were swiftly closing the distance.

Bracing his spider legs against the tile, Zim propelled himself off the ground, arching his spine to flip back, feet landing on the railing protecting the raised colosseum seats about nine feet off the ground. He tripped on the rail and fell back with a sharp gasp, his pak crashing into the stone bench behind him, now in the grandstands. Flinching, Zim scrambled back to his feet just as his attackers reached the wall.

Hungry and foaming and the mouth, the hellhounds leaped up, some slamming into the wall with painful cries from their momentum, and Zim's ego swelled when he realized he'd just been very clever without even meaning to be. Canines couldn't climb. He grinned down over the railing as his enemies jumped up and down yapping, leaving claw marks on the tall, smooth, vertical surface but getting nowhere.

Zim burst out laughing, with a sense of relieved victory, pointing and opening his mouth to give some cheesy taunt, momentarily forgetting his limp arm. Then the big-cats reached the wall.

One in particular was the first to crouch, and leap up powerfully, grabbing the railing- right in front of the invader, and it begin to haul itself up. Zim stumbled back with a squeak, almost tripping against a seat again, and instinctively shooting out a spider limb. Just as the feline had gotten its head and almost it's shoulders over the rail, the sharp metal impaled it's head. It was dead instantly and slid back off Zim's artificial appendage to fall on top of several other crowding beasts with a thud.

Already another zombie-panther was pulling itself over the railing, and then another on Zim's other side, with seven more getting ready at the base of the wall. The Irken was looking around in desperation, trying to assess the most immediate threats, quickly climbing over benches, backing away. One feline had just gotten over the railing and into the seating area, wicked eyes immediately fixed upon its target, shoulder blades jutting up from its back when it lowered its chest to the ground in a crouch.

Swinging to face it Zim got himself braced on one of the back-less seats, stabbing at the nightmare. It leaped to the side and Zim's appendages hit the floor as panther launched forward, sharp claws outstretched.

Zim swiftly dropped backwards and rolled, swinging himself under his seat as the zombie's high pounce sent it flying overhead. It crashed into the stairs between the rows of seats, and Zim fired a single lazer into its side, before forgetting it to look for the next threat to his life.

"How much charge do I have left for my lazers?"

Normally Zim would have been able to charge in kamikaze and probably blasted everything to smithereens. But now needed to conserve those. He hadn't had time to re-energize his charging cell during the entire time Dib had been comatose.

More beasts were jumping and grabbing for the rail. He had to move.

A yowl sounded right in his ears and he rolled over under the bench, kicking out with the claws of his feet, just as one monster swung at him with a clawed front paw. The alien felt his heel crush his enemy's nose and it gave a shriek, but it's claws tore into his leg from its swipe and made him grit his teeth.

He was wincing, but already pulling himself out from under the seating. His leg was in pain and he could feel the pink irken blood running out from the scratches, but that wasn't bad enough to stop him, as he started to run parallel to the benches, away from where the brutes were climbing up, ignoring pain, both in his arm, and now his leg.

"I could have avoided that easily! Carelessness! Curses!"

As he ran Zim cast a brief look back. So far two cats were dead, and another was writhing and yowling, pawing at its smashed face. Pridefully Zim smirked at the last one, he hadn't known his kick could do so much damage without his boots. And it was right it should suffer for hurting him. On an adrenaline high, he ran harder.

'Okay, three down... I think that means seven are left, there are three, no, four up here with me now. There's some distance between us now... Is there anything Zim can throw?"

The chairs and benches were all made of stone, carved out of the floor. The mace Zim had grabbed that was thumping along against his back and frequently making him lose balance, would be too big and heavy to wield with one hand, as his burned shoulder was still in awful pain, continually throbbing with a fizzing and popping sensation, that arm limp and uncontrollable. There wasn't anything that could be considered a weapon here, except the candles.

Zim could kill something from five feet away with a styrofoam cup. Candles he could most definitely work with.

With a smirk Zim bolted for the nearest lighting stand, just five feet away at the end of his row, with two zombies running after him.

The forgotten tar-beast very suddenly went to attention when it saw what the alien was reaching out towards, and shot another cannonball of black goo from the center of the arena below. Zim heard the 'squelch' noise and felt his spooch turn uncomfortably. It missed the alien this time.

Zim's fingers had been reached out, about to snatch the candle, when the cannonball threw his target off the stand.

Zim tripped and fell forward as some chemical reaction caused the candle to explode with a loud pop, bits of wax flying everywhere, the flame inflating in an tiny mushroom cloud of red and yellow heat, before going out with a cloud of thick smoke. Zim's chest hit the ground and he snarled as he yanked himself back up with one arm. It didn't look like he'd be getting any weapons until that statue-thing was taken out.

The fact that it didn't want him getting his hands on fire, however, and the explosion, had given him a hint of a plan.

A plan. Now he had something.

He had to turn quickly as another cat was racing up from behind. It had leapt for him already, and with its feet off the ground, it had no chance of changing course before Zim shot out one of his silvery appendages and speared it. Instead of shaking the body off he lifted it with every limb he had, grunting from the effort. He had to move fast, there were still more big-cats coming. Sweat was starting to drip down his face as he picked up the bloodied body, and with a shout, somehow managed to fling it over the rail towards the tar creature.

It hit the floor, coming short a long way from where Zim had wanted it to land, and Zim practically roared with frustration, as he dodged another panther's leap and speared it in the side as it landed. It screetched and slumped.

Five down. Five to go.

But he wanted that goo person taken out. He NEEDED something to throw.

With a quick glance around, the Irken saw two more panthers hanging back a good distance, apprehensively, creeping forward with more respect now that the invader had killed off half their group. Another was trying to get over the wall and two more were in the arena. Zim figured he had a couple of seconds before the next attack.

He looked down at his most recent kill, the body laying at his feet. A dark look of purpose went into his eyes and he crouched down, all four spider legs coming out.

Zim grabbed the head and sunk the limbs into the neck, tearing and cracking as quickly as he could, until he could tug it free from the body with a last snap of some muscle or tendon and tons of splurting blood that he ignored. He stood, claws digging into the fleshy mess he held.

There. Now he had something to throw.

The invader's grin was carnal as he got into position to put his power into his arm, as much as he could with the other limb flopping at his side, burning whenever the upper muscles had to tighten. He flung the gory mass with a grunt of effort, watching it slam into the tar-creature who was apparently unable to move out of the way.

Immediately Zim bolted for the next nearest candle, fingers reaching ahead to snatch it, while the blob's attention was spent on enveloping the severed zombie head.

At the ends of the rows of seats, the groups of three old-style, half-melted candles were placed on rusted discs, mounted on little poles. The irken's fingers latched onto one of the holding disks and he felt a sense of victory, several candles now in his possession. One of the stalking panthers lost their wits and pounced. Whirling around, Zim leapt back out of the way, the teardrop flames whooshing and fluttering as they were carried, making the shadows jump and duck like in a chanting Indian dance.

Zim kicked out, his clawed foot smashing into his enemy's lower jaw with a crunch, disorienting the zombie so Zim could pierce a mechanical limb down into the center of its back. There was another thick splash and Zim narrowly sidestepped the third acidic cannonball, letting it splatter and fizz on a stone bench. The second cat had circled around to behind him. Zim ducked and rolled sideways when the stalker swung out a paw, still fiercely gripping the candles, trying not to put them out with all his movement.

Another 'splurch' noise. This time the silhouette missed Zim completely as the zombie got in the way, giving a startled yelp when the projectile hit, but not burning.

One of Zim's silvery limbs impaled that monster's neck, another smashing through the skull. It toppled sideways dead.

Only three cats left. Seven out.

Zim spun around again, the flames gracefully complimenting his movements. Leaping up on a bench, he flung the candle-disk like a deadly boomerang, before swinging himself down under the bench.

A jarring explosion echoed around the room when the disk of candles hit its target, the blast strong enough to vibrate throughout the floor.

So the tar creatures did have a weakness. Fire.

"Wait a- that's not fair! Why didn't my lazers work?"

With no immediate danger, Zim felt he could afford to pout for a second. The biggest threat was gone, and even better, the zombie animals down in the arena began to howl and screech as the black, acidic substance splattered onto them from the tar creature blowing up, and inkiness began eating through what was left of the undead's flesh.

The grin that spread across Zim's face was unnatural as he climbed victoriously out from his hiding spot, swaggering up to the edge of the raised grandstands, throwing his head back in strange, hysterical laughter.

One last feline had gotten up to the seats before the acid-silhouette had splashed out to kill everything in the arena. It ran up stupidly, and Zim swung around with his maniacal expression and killed it with hardly an effort, right through the face.

Wanting to revel in his victory, Zim walked alongside the rail, still almost shaky with killer's laughter, looking over into the arena. The animals were rolling around in the black goo, quickly vaporizing into nothing. Zim burst out like a hyena all over again. Just like that, he'd destroyed almost the entire threat. He'd barely even had to deal with the hellhounds! The Irken threw his fists in the air.

"I AM ZIIIIM!"

He grinned at the ceiling, cackling away.

One of his antenna twitched, sensing something close behind him. Zim's face fell blank with shock when he suddenly realized that all the dying nightmares below were quadrupeds. The jail-guard was missing from the arena.

Hard, heavy, crushing, painful, something swung down and struck in a vertical arc against Zim's ankles, knocking the alien's feet out from under him and cracking against Zim's already scabbing, burned ankle.

Zim yelped as he fell sideways, having just barely enough time to pull in his spider limbs and activate his force-field-bubble before something struck down on it from above and Zim hit the floor.

Sparks leapt as the prison gaurd stabbed Zim's protective, glowing, blue sphere with some sort of pitchfork, sunken eyes dark with deadly intent. Zim shrieked out a curse while trying to scramble away. He bumped into a seat, crawling backwards, before whipping around to hurdle over it, wincing with each sharp blow to his force-field.

"WHAT THE TALLEST! How on earth did that fat glob get up here!?"

The Irken also realized rather suddenly that in order to get in range to stab the humanoid with his spider-legs, he'd have to be nearly within range of its pitchfork, and he'd have to turn off his shield to even take anything else out of his pak. His arm was still throbbing so he couldn't wield his mace. Candles would probably bounce right off that creature's armor without leaving a mark. Zim didn't have many clear options.

The alien's eyes fell to the exit door down in the arena, and he made up his mind. The alien turned from the monster and ran.

:\\\:

Faking unconsciousness had done no good.

Before Dib could fully wake up and gather enough strength to dare escaping, he'd been given another injection of poison.

By the time he'd come tremblingly back to consciousness, it seemed Arkersix and the mutant hagraven had already dropped him off in his new cell... Or, something. Not exactly a normal cell. Dib groaned as he tried to move, sitting back against a wall. He couldn't stretch his legs. The space he was in was barely big enough to have squeezed the boy into, and there was no light. The walls were hard and rounded oddly. Dib couldn't hear anything beyond his own frenzied breathing. He reached out one trembling arm to feel the surfaces around him. There were no grooves or cracks, or any sign of a door. No escape.

He didn't know where he was or why, but he was pretty sure it couldn't be right. Dib couldn't remember anything and all he knew was he felt sick, tired, and afraid. He'd been afraid for so long he was going numb. His head swam, throbbed and spun. In a daze, the boy wondered if yelling at his brain to stop pounding would help.

"Probly not huh?... I mean... Iss not like... what... Ow... I can'tnt thinks...Dammit." Dib slurred and pouted to himself as he tried to get a grip on what was happening. With a moan he raised his hands to massage his temples.

Shakily, slowly, he exhaled, and inhaled, tasting a strange organic flavor in the moist air.

His fingers drifted to the wall behind him, and he felt the surface soften strangely, gaining a fleshy texture. Dib squirmed away from this uncomfortable feeling with a traumatized squeak. There wasn't room to get away and he couldn't see. He was cramped, crushed. Where was he?

In some rock-hard prison practically shaped around his curled up form, with one third of the wall feeling all fleshy and ...terrifying.

Well that wasn't a good place to be. How the heck did he get here?

... Did Torque or some other bully force him to take drugs, or get drunk?... Drunk people did stupid crap... Like climb into washing machines... Maybe that was where he was, a washing machine... With no door so the clothes couldn't run away from bath time...Wait... What?

Torque, drugs, beer, no, can't, think!

Who WAS Torque...? He remembered a funny vulture-lady... And a huuuuge needle thing... Oh! Oh yeah!

Man, that tranquilizer did some serious dope-age after the second dose...

Dib decided he didn't like it. At all.

Dangit! He HAD to stop rabbit trailing! Why couldn't he THINK? Dib, now, stuck, where? Why?

In a fleeting moment of clarity, Dib realized that in such a small space, the air supply wouldn't last long. Getting more and more frantic as he came ever so slowly back to reality, he weakly began to beat his fists against the walls, squirming and turning over and over, helpless. He could hear nothing, see nothing, and he couldn't feel or smell any changes either, regardless of his struggles.

Trapped. Totally trapped.

Dib whimpered softly.

Out of nowhere, the cramped prison jolted, as if bumped by something outside. Dib yelped and starting beating and kicking again, he had to get out! There had to be a door! There had to be something! Maybe someone would hear him screaming!

... No one helped him. No one ever did.

Within a minute he'd used up all his strength, completely in vain, and lay curled up and panting. He was faintly aware that his tiny container was moving, being dragged along the ground to somewhere unknown. He sniffled slightly, trembling, unable to do a thing to help himself.

Occasionally he'd kick out again in frantic frustration, but it wouldn't get him anywhere.

He was all alone in the dark. It seemed his state of being so would never end.

The claustrophobic panic built up until Dib wanted to crack his head against something, he needed to do SOMETHING. But he had no space to move.

He felt like he was either going to vomit or cry, and started shaking violently.

Still he remained without the grace of any response.

Alone.

:\\\:

The pain was finally sinking into Zim's leg, forcing him to limp as he ran alongside the seats, with a deformed humanoid-nightmare lumbering after him on thick trollish back limbs.

Zim had twisted and burned his ankle in his first fight against a tar-beast, in the dungeon, and one of the panthers had gotten their claws into his calf. His limp was getting more pronounced every minute and he needed time to rest and heal.

His left arm had gone from throbbing to tingling numbly, but moving the muscles was still a horrible agony.

He still couldn't use his mace. The stupid thing was heavy, bouncing up and down on his back, making noise against his pak, and it had almost gotten caught on things several times while he'd been fighting in the grandstands, and it was continually trying to trip him. He was ready to ditch the useless weapon by now.

As he hurried along, the Irken grabbed another candle-dish anfishing around to fling it, but the guard dodged easily. It shattered somewhere behind the two as Zim turned to run again. The Irken hadn't thought it would do much good, but it never hurt to try.

He had to get to the door.

He could see it down there, amidst all the fizzing smoking tar puddles, at the end of the arena.

The pink trail of Irken blood led through there. Dib's scent went it there. Zim had spent too much time with this battle. He HAD to reach his Dib-let.

Out came the ever-useful spider limbs, as Zim turned to the side and propelled himself over the rail. He landed shakily, tensed, if he slipped he'd fall into the acid puddles, or the burned charcoal remains of the zombies.

The jail-guard roared at the invader but stayed up in the grandstands. Zim grinned madly, reaching the door, grabbing the bone-handle and, it wouldn't budge. Zim tried both pushing AND pulling after his first mishap. That hinge wasn't moving.

Zim grabbed the handle and shoved and tugged frantically, almost throwing himself back and forth. It moved just slightly, thumping, but still refused to open.

Below the knob was a keyhole.

Zim saw it and turned to give a snarl of pure viciousness to the guard. It HAD to have it. The look on its face only confirmed that suspicion.

The spider-legs clattered and slipped with a severe lack of skill, over the now slippery, goo covered arena floor.

The Irken launched himself back over the rail, landing on his feet in front of the humanoid, but just out of range for any of it's attacks, green lips curled back to show white fangs.

His enemy charged and Zim lifted two spider legs to fire twin lazers into its face.

This creature apparently couldn't make a sound, but it thrashed and stumbled enough to clearly express pain. That was good enough for Zim.

It almost fell to the floor as its face melted slightly under the severe heat. It was probably blinded, and thrown into confusion.

The Irken pounced and latched onto its front, grabbing for the neck.

It stumbled back, dropping its pitchfork with a clatter as Zim's claws sunk in. The alien readied his metal legs. The head writhed on its long neck, and huge, fierce hands grabbed the Irkens back, having no trouble powerfully shoving Zim off to fall backwards onto his butt.

The Irken's claws had left an indent in the beast's neck that was bleeding heavily. The monster wasn't dead, but it could die from that alone given some time. At the moment though, Zim realized with distaste that it was still very much alive.

The creature kicked out, but Zim blocked it with his good leg, rolling out of the way, swinging out with a spider leg but missing.

All of the guard's body was armored except the head and neck. Zim had his targets.

The alien was on his feet and immediately had to dodge a fist-blow. Despite having a half lazer-melted face, it could somehow still sense the irken's position unnervingly well.

Zim leapt sideways onto a bench next to the creature and then propelled himself onto its back.

This time he latched on hard with his claws, feeling the muscle give and the blood run over his fingers.

It jumped and did what it could to throw Zim off while the Irken struggled to hang on, strangle his enemy, and coordinate his metal limbs with all the jostling. One spider-leg scratched the side of the neck, but he'd been trying to impale it.

Zim slipped off, landing unsteadily on his feet, and had to duck out of the way of another fist-swing.

Zim tried firing another lazer as he backed away but missed. He cursed. He HAD to stop wasting those, but this thing wouldn't let him KILL IT.

Zim shot out a spider-limb but the guard managed to move back just out of the way.

Then the guard started to back off. It's eyes were kept on Zim, but the invader could tell it was progressing towards some goal that no longer involved smacking him.

The invader's attention was suddenly drawn to the dropped pitchfork several yards back and with widened eyes, he charged. He was not letting that monster get his weapon back.

The Irken nearly danced around the guard when he was kicked at, but avoided the several attacks with easy dodging, wisking past his enemy.

His mace was too heavy to use with one arm, but that pitchfork looked light enough.

Zim was much faster then the monster, reaching the weapon first by a long shot, and snatched it up with his murderous smile, looking back at the unreadable guard with a victory cry of "HAH!" Zim pointed the fork at his enemy and started to stalk towards the creature. In his mind he'd won. He had it's weapon, he had something he could wield amazingly with just one hand. He was a battle-trained Irken. This would go fast.

He was too consumed to see the exit door slide soundlessly open a crack, or the form that flitted through, looked up at him, and rushed up from behind, floating up over the rail.

Zim crept closer to the guard, wanting to savor his triumph before moving in for the kill, as his enemy backed away. He chuckled lowly and twirled his new weapon several times before pointing it again.

"Any last words? You've been silent so far stink-pig..."

The humanoid paused. It seemed distracted by something. Zim's antenna twitched at a sudden presence and his expression went to shock at a mechanical click behind his head like a gun being cocked. The alien felt his spooch twist again, but a sharp prick jabbed into the back of his head before he could turn. His legs seemed to disappear from under him as he went limp and fell. The scene blurred to black but he could just recognize a figure looming over him, and a hissing voice,"

"Far too easy..."

He couldn't hang on to reality, he was slipping, falling... Darkness... Zim...Gone...

**~~~•~~~**

**Review! I have an important task for my reviewers this time! If it's not too much trouble, please list all the ways you can think of to break out of a jail cell and... Basically crack open a rock, with nothing but normal Irken pak tech, claws, and strength.**

***points to captured Zim and Dib chibis***

**QUICKLY! THEY DEPEND UPON YOU! D:**

**... Or just post a normal review. Either way will make me happy. :3 I hope you're enjoying Prisoner of Nightmares!**

**And no, I won't tell you who the new Nightmare overlord is. :P You'll see sooner or later...**


	13. Reunion and Escape

**Meep! Only seven more reviews until I reach a grand! Ceinto! 100! That's a big number! I feel loved! ;u; Thank you all!**

**I got so many reviews for that last chapter, that I can hardly remember any in particular to respond to! I'd like to thank you all for the suggestions and support, and especially thank 'anonymous' for writing that huge thingy. X3 I love long pieces of thought like that. I love ALL your feedback, it helps me know what you like and don't to get better at writing!**

**Anyway, I'm sorry for the slow updates. School is tough this year, but I'll do what I can! FOR NARNIA! Or whatever. Enjoy another chapter and the first bit of romance there's been in a while~!**

**And have a chibi Dib to play with! *tosses out traumatized Dib chibi***

**Dib: ._.'**

**:\\\:**

Everything was blurred, sore. He couldn't feel much besides weakness. He wasn't awake enough to care.

Where was he? How did he get here? What had he been doing again?

It took a couple minutes before his brain grew receptive to the swarm of memories buzzing frantically around it.

Dib. DIB! Nightmares... Had to FIND DIB.

He'd been caught. What? Where?

A red eye cracked open slowly, intensifying a headache for the extra-terrestrial, and revealing only spinning, dark, blurred surroundings.

He was injured; ankle, leg, shoulder, and the back of his head- oh! Oh his ankle! His shoulder! Even Zim's ego couldn't hold back his groan as he rolled onto his back, so the effected area didn't press so hard into the cold, solid floor. Well, at least he was healing quickly, but his pak's pain-killers wearing off like that wasn't a nice thing to wake up to.

The invader was awake enough to use his memories and what he'd seen so far to guess he was probably locked up in some cell. Well at least he had a while to rest and heal. But WHERE WAS HE? More importantly, where was Dib in relation to him? Probably far away if he had to guess. Shit. He'd probably lost the blood trail, which was his only lead! Who knew where he was now, lost in some dungeon in the depths of the earth. Stupid inconveniences. He had no time for this. He HAD TO SAVE HIS DIB-LET!

Poor Dib could be anywhere by now. He could even be dead.

No! NO he couldn't be! Zim could not fail! Zim came to save him! Dib-thing...

The invader whimpered, trying to stretch out a little. He had to get up. He had to get moving. There was no two ways about it.

That scent...

One sleek black antenna twitched and Zim was suddenly wide awake, his squiddily spooch having just jumped up into his throat.

There it was. Thick, strong, so, so, so, thrillingly, terribly close. Dib's scent.

At last! At last! What was happening!? This couldn't be possible! Had they actually brought him right to his human!?

Zim blinked his eyes into focus, his cardiac muscle throbbing, beating like a humming bird's wings with a hard, furious hope.

What was going on?

Pushing his chest up off the floor, turning his head around dazedly in an attempt to make something out besides the blurred indication of concrete walls in the darkness, Zim found himself squinting at a huge pine-cone shape in the corner.

He frowned, managing to collect himself, and dragged his body into a sitting position, taking a deep breath or two until the room had mostly stopped spinning, and then he stood.

The rounded pod thing was only a few paces away, but Zim's dignity wouldn't allow him to crawl. He limped over, wincing with heavy pain in his shoulder and leg.

The closer he got, the more Dib's scent increased.

He was right there.

"D-Dib human?" Zim's voice was ringing with nervous relief.

The rounded object was big enough to contain a curled up form, the invader was sure. Dib had to be in there.

Was it a trap? This couldn't be right! Why? How had...

The irken knelt down beside the object to prod at it. The shell was hard as rock. It didn't move or make noise.

"D-Dib?" Zim swallowed thickly. "Are you there?"

He wasn't getting any response to his inquiries.

"Dib? Are you there?"

He hated his voice for sounding so weak.

Zim jolted as he got a good sniff through his antenna, and realized that the pod smelled of more then Dib's scent. To break it down, it smelled like a living plant, digestive acids, and general death. He'd heard of things like this. He felt like he was going to vomit as the meaning and other ideas came into his head.

Venus fly catchers, pitcher plants, meat eating flora that trapped prey inside and dissolved them.

Dib was in there. At least it smelled of him.

Dib HAD been in there.

NoNoNoNoNOOOO!

"DIB HUMAAAAN!"

Oh please no...

That couldn't have happened. It just couldn't have!

In a flurry of movement, Zim flung himself on the pod, claws slipping against the outside stone-texture. He grabbed at the top, where he felt an indentation, like the top and center of an orange where all the pieces joined together. He gritted his teeth, he wasn't giving up. Maybe he could pull it apart there. This wasn't over. He wouldn't let it be.

"Dib ANSWER MEEEE!"

Zim pulled and tugged, nearly screaming, only to slip to the side as his leg began to give out.

Throbbing from being stood on too long, the irken's ankle shot pain up his whole limb, and Zim's knees buckled, body collapsing back down to fall on his butt.

Frantic with fear, frustration, and anguish, the irken slammed his fists against the floor, screaming, venting before he could manage to climb up again.

He needed to calm down. The sleeping drugs had to have caused this breakdown. He needed to think. This might not be over yet. He didn't know it was. He needed to calm down.

Zim got up again, keeping weight off the injured leg, and pulled with all his might at the indent at the top and the orange-slice creases. He couldn't get his claws deep enough into the cracks to pull. The pod wasn't giving a response.

Zim pulled, scratched, punched in desperation, gripping a crack and pulling with a shout of effort, but almost tripped back again, now panting with exertion.

He gritted his teeth as he snarled, eyes stinging with a foreign sensation of exhausted helplessness. This just wasn't working.

What else could he try? Think! He'd try the spider legs!

He needed to hurry. If Dib wasn't dead he could be dying.

With a grunt he adjusted his stance, favoring one leg due to considerable pain. The spider legs zipped out, then stabbed down hard into the indent in the top of the pod, at last piercing in.

Zim gasped when he heard a thick crunch, and stopped their decent. If they went too deep they'd spear his human.

At the moment though, his body shook with insane, relieved laughter.

He began pulling the metal limbs apart from each other, having to shut his eyes tight from the effort. His leg throbbed and trembled.

He heard the almost fleshy tearing and it made his spooch turn, but he was making progress.

Dib was there! He had to be.

'Please let him be alive...

:\\\:

...

That was strange.

He thought he heard something.

CRUNCH

Startled, he jumped with a shaky little squeaky noise, unable to move in the tiny space, hands trembling, eyes wide. There was a hole opening in the ceiling of his cramped prison! He couldn't see in the darkness, but he could feel it. He could get out! He HAD TO GET OUT NOW.

Viciously shaking, from weakness, fear, and insanity, the human jerked up and pulled himself up over the rim with a little whimper at the effort. He... he couldn't make it! He didn't have the strength. He was going to fall back in! He was slipping...

"DIB-LING!" The high-pitched, emotionally overflowing shriek startled the boy so badly he nearly let go and fell back into the pod. The next thing he knew, something strong and forceful had grabbed one of his arms and the front of his shirt, and tugged hard. With a frightened scream Dib fell forward into some sort of warm body on the floor. He instinctively tried to kick away, whimpering, without a clue of what the heck was going on. He couldn't see a thing. It was too dark. Something was holding him still, holding him against itself. He had to get away!

Getawaygetawaygetaway! Leavemealone!

However his captor didn't have the slightest intension of letting Dib go.

Somehow Zim couldn't even find words to say to the earthling. He was shaking, laughing, with such shockwaves of relief, holding Dib down against him in a fierce hug. Rolling onto his side, he pressed his face forward to nuzzle the back of Dib's neck, and the boy shouted something unintelligible and struggled harder, shoulders hunching, thoroughly traumatized, trying to protect his vulnerable, vital throat, from his 'attacker'.

Zim just laughed, almost weakly.

"Dib-human it's me! I am Zim! Zim has found you!"

The irken held Dib tighter and rubbed his body against the other's, marking him with his scent, purring uncontrollably, pressing his face into the male's soft head fur, antenna twitching down to smell it. Finally! Mission complete! Now he just needed to find the way out.

He had his Dib. Dib was safe. Everything was okay and under his control now.

He'd heal up, and then they'd find a way to leave.

The earthling slowly stopped struggling. He wasn't under immediate attack, wasn't being eaten alive, and something about that voice... He took it as a good sign.

The creature was nuzzling him.

Had he found a friend? His heart beat heavier, pleadingly, at the idea.

It certainly felt nice to be hugged and cuddled. The form holding him was so nice and warm. And it was purring, like a kitten. Kittens were nice.

Didn't it say it's name was Zim?

...

He KNEW it!

He KNEW that thing he'd met before wasn't Zim! It reminded him of the name Zim, but it wasn't the real Zim. So was this the real Zim? He thought so. He only had a faint idea of what a 'Zim' was, or what he remembered that name from, but it seemed good. Zim was something good.

"Dib-let, are you alright?"

Weakly, Zim picked himself up to lean over the earthling and try to look at his face as they lay on their sides on the floor still.

Dib was breathing heavily, eyes wide, still startled, nervous, and confused, but cautiously warming up to the irken.

The red eyes glowed and offered a bit of wonderful light. Dib could see Zim's face. It wasn't grotesque and horrific like all the other creatures. It was smooth and natural and expressive and pretty, and Dib liked it immediately. Zim felt unspeakably better when Dib gave a weak smile and inquisitively murmured his name. "Zim?"

The irken smiled right back, shakily laughing some more, and leaned in to lick the boy's cheek affectionately, and nuzzle the side of his warm neck, making Dib 'eep!' and hunch his shoulders, but smile a little more.

"You'll be okay." He murmured, lips against the warm skin, feeling the pulse beneath. "We're going to get out of here... Zim just needs a few more minutes to heal."

Heal? Zim was hurt?

Dib turned to look at him with worry in his golden-amber eyes, and Zim waved it off to reassure him.

"Nothing major, really, I am Zim, nothing can hurt me... At least not a lot. NOTHIIIING!"

Dib almost laughed. This was definitely the Zim he faintly remembered; and loved.

Rolling over, the boy got his arms around the alien's waist and Zim grinned, laying back so his human could rest his bruised, aching, -oversized- head, on his chest, hugging him tight, so eager to trust the alien, even if he didn't remember him.

Dib sighed, pleased, relaxing for the first time in what felt like way too long. He had a friend. There was someone here who cared about him it would seem. He might actually be okay!

Zim's breathing, and foreign but repetitive pulse-beat, were lulling beyond belief. Normal, natural- in their own strange way, the exposure to something so sane and orderly made him feel stronger and more awake, but at the same time, sleepy. He didn't want to get up. He wanted to stay as close to Zim as he could. He pressed against the irken.

Happy with Dib's compliance, Zim curled around him a little, intertwining their legs, purring louder as the boy moved to rest his head in the side of Zim's neck and his shoulder. Both held onto the other tightly, desperately not wanting them to go away after they'd finally found them.

"We'll be out of here soon. Just rest a little."

"Mm'kay."

Dib could talk a little it would seem. Good. He wasn't too far horribly gone.

Zim let out a long, satisfied breath, then finally began glancing around to get his bearings.

They were in a stone cell, probably underground. Zim couldn't tell how DEEP underground though.

Grey stone walls, ceiling, and floor, metal bars making up one wall and looking out into a hallway of other cells.

Zim couldn't see a guard, and nothing had responded to his reunion with Dib yet. How odd. He'd been under the impression that he and Dib were some sort of world-priority-threat-thing. Now they were just sitting together in an ordinary cell.

Who the heck ran this place? They weren't very organized, whoever they were. Zim would file a complaint full of colorful Zim-language and curses, if this wasn't working in his favor.

:\\\:

"WWWHHAAAT?"

"A-apologies my lord-"

"YOU LOST THEM?! HOW COULD YOU LOSE THEM?!"

"There's- we were attacked, there's something else, I-I haven't seen before, another intruder-"

"LIES! I WILL HAVE NO MORE OF YOUR FILTHY, INSUFFICIENT LIES!"

With a sickening whip-snap, cracking, tearing, and a cut-short scream, Arkersix was left dead, and in multiple pieces, dark blood splattered everywhere, in an instant, completely uncaring and unnecessary death.

Merkig cowered back, tentacles twitching nervously as the equine was shredded by his master. He waited until the overlord had finished, and his fury had hopefully been taken down a few notches, before speaking up.

"My men did what they could, all is not lost."

Slowly, the towering, bony form turned and fixed the hagraven with a glare of pure, red, hell-fire.

"Where. Are. They? BOTH of them?"

"Stuffed into one of the tunnel dungeons. Arkersix was not lying when he mentioned an attack. Some... THING, came out of no-where, and charged in. The goblins threw the pod with the power source, and the unconscious intruder, into a cell to engage the attacker but it killed everyone who didn't flee. It's small but feisty."

The overlord ground his teeth and fisted his talons, eyes glowing madly, growling low and loud in his throat.

"They're together?! IN A FLIMSY TUNNEL CELL?! OUR POWER SOURCE AND THE CREATURE THAT SEVERED OFF MY ARM UPON ARRIVAL?! It's barely even grown back even now! NO ONE has ever-" He interrupted himself with a snarl of beastly frustration.

"We're going down there, now."

"Y-You, my lord?"

"Yes, and you're coming with me! Now."

"Eh, y-yes your majesty."

:\\\:

Well, altogether, this place was rather calm and peaceful for the moment. Zim sighed, running his finger's through the earthling's hair, Dib's head resting on his chest. Just another minute or two, and his leg would be right as rain, but for now, he was quite relaxed, even though he couldn't lay completely on his back due to his pak jutting out against the stone floor.

Dib shifted occasionally, hugging Zim tighter or pressing closer, or nuzzling against him, but that was it.

Smirking with a sudden impulse, Zim moved to rub his hands up and down the earthling's sides. Dib shivered and turned to look up at Zim, with an interesting sort of smile, and his face going slightly red.

Ahh yes, it was almost as though he remembered this. Zim did things like this to him on a rare occasion. It was very nice he thought.

Dib turned away to press his face into the alien's chest with a bashful squeak as the alien's hands began to sneak up inside his shirt. Taking off his gloves, Zim only grinned wider, palming up the soft, warm skin of the human laying on top of him. A low, rumbling purr came from the irken's throat as he rolled onto his side, hugging Dib to himself more firmly and massaging his chest with his other hand. Something instinctive fluttered with excitement when Zim heard Dib's breathing get heavier and felt his pulse speed up, hands clutching the red uniform.

Quickly pushing Dib onto his back, Zim loomed over him, hands shoved up his shirt, diving in to nuzzle and lick at his neck before the boy could respond, a predatorial, possessive pleasure surging through his veins, growling purr increasing with volume.

The human squeaked and jolted, arching his back with a whimpering noise at the sudden sensations of hot wet tongue on his neck and the three digit hands brushing every sensitive nerve in his torso. Without thinking he reached his hands up to grip Zim's shoulders and try to pull him closer, heart thudding almost painfully hard and fast. Dib gave a long moan and tipped his head back as Zim pressed him down harder and moved to nip and suck at his jaw line, rubbing against him firmer, dominating.

Ohhhh yes. Zim liked this. His eyes nearly rolled back in his head, just wanting to force more sweet, submissive reactions out of his little Dib-let.

"Mmmh, Z-Zim~!"

Yeah, reactions like that. The irken grinned deviously.

Before Zim could think to do any more, his antenna caught a scent that made him freeze. Familiar, irken, blood, dark, threatening, something was just... Not right. Something was wrong with that scent.

Dib whined at the sudden loss of pleasing sensations and body heat as Zim sat up, straddling his waist, and looked around in the blackness, suddenly snarling out a curse. Something was coming.

The boy felt a sense of desperation when the alien suddenly stood up and moved away from him. Hurriedly scrambling up to his feet, Dib reached out with a little whimper, grabbing Zim's arm before he could disappear into the darkness.

"W-Wait! Where are you going?"

"We must get out of here, now." The irken insisted, before turning to the bars with a frown. The spider legs shot out again, and Dib gasped at the sight, flinching back and squeezing Zim's arm tighter, shoulders hunching.

The irken just smirked with strange fondness at how wide the boy's eyes could get.

The bars were too slim and hard to stab at. They didn't have enough time for that. Well, he was glad he saved his lasers until now. He was probably about to use up all their power though.

Setting the tips of the metal appendages against the lock holding the door closed, Zim turned them on. Their lights blared strong, buzzing, metal hissed as it melted under the concentrated beams, the scent of vaporized steel and rust was choking and Dib pulled the collar of his shirt up over his mouth and nose, managing to think that he shouldn't breath it in. Zim just smiled his killer's smile, eyes a glowing blaze.

They were escaping. Something was coming. They'd probably be chased, but nothing could stop him. Now things got interesting.

:\\\:

The cell was empty.

Several small minion nightmare-creatures lay dead and bleeding like butchered animals, and Merkig had wisely ran off to hide himself.

The overlord visibly shook, taking heaving breaths of pure fury. His red eyes lit up the tunnel for a hundred feet, burning with intensity.

Throwing his head back, the beast gave a piercing screech that would rival that of a dying soul, before turning, sniffing out a trail.

Without one word to anyone, the most powerful ruler of the nightmare world shot off running on all four long, clawed, skeletal legs. He would take care of this himself.


	14. Run and Hide

**Here we are! Chapter 14! This here be one long fic! I'm proud of myself. X3**

**Not only that- but 100! 100 REVIEWS! :'D I'm so happy. Thank you guys so much!**

**Now- who'll be the first to break the hundred reviews?! :D Read and review guys! Constructive criticism, rambling thoughts, whatever! I don't care! Play with a little chibi Zim and Dib and ask them questions! *shoves out chibis***

***Zim chibi hugs crazy Dib-chibi protectively***

**Just read and review please!**

**~•~**

Zim didn't know where they were going exactly. But they were going somewhere, away from the beast pursuing them, and that was enough for him.

He could smell the creature, and he'd heard it roar a while back, he knew instinctively that they were being chased, but whatever it was wasn't close enough to be sensed very well. Not yet anyway.

Dib was weakened. Not only was his physical body outside here being nourished only by tubes into his veins from an irken machine, but in this realm, Dib had not consumed any food or drink in goodness knew how long, and with how realistic everything else here was, that probably had an effect. One thing was for sure though; he couldn't run.

Zim had hoisted him up as they fled the cell, so Dib's legs were wrapped tightly around the irken's waist, and his arms were around Zim's neck; piggy-back riding.

Zim had to carry Dib while running to escape.

Zim's breathing came heavy, as each pace landed heavily. He was sweating and strained, face showing it, eyes narrowed, jaw gritted.

If he kept up like this he might get sick.

Still, his species' speed, strength, and endurance pulled through for him. He'd managed to keep running at his swift pace for a long time now, through some very long stretches of tunnels. They'd come to several intersections, and Zim hoped the directions he'd chose, if they didn't get them to the surface any faster, would at least throw off the enemies following.

And he really hoped he wasn't headed for another trap like the arena, he was too drained.

The path turned right and the air suddenly tasted different against Zim's antennas. Feeling the slightest movement of the air, the alien grinned.

"We're getting somewhere Dib-thing!"

The human bumping up and down on Zim's back smiled and held on tighter with shaky limbs. Even he was having trouble with this. Keeping himself from being thrown off was a difficult task when he had such a lack of energy and willpower. His arms and legs were trembling badly and felt numb. Zim could feel the movement and was worried, his arms already held back to support Dib against him as much as possible.

The tunnel tilted upwards. It was a good sign, but it meant Zim was panting a lot harder and beginning to choke in his attempts to breathe. He was overheated but chilled from the outside air, and it was starting to cause a weird tingling feeling in his back and legs. He was overworking himself massively.

This wasn't easy.

His previously injured shoulder and ankle ached so bad, he swore he was about to give out. But he forced himself onward, thinking of the presence of their pursuer in hopes of employing his near-emptied adrenaline glands for some help.

The tunnel evened out up ahead, a little further... There. Now it was strait again instead of uphill. At least that made it a little easier.

Zim didn't dare stop running. He knew the moment he lost any momentum would be his downfall and he would collapse entirely. He felt like he couldn't breathe, but he still managed to notice the change in their 'scenery.'

The tunnel was lined with pipes and valves, threading in and out of walls and ceilings, twisted and tangled ridiculously like tentacles from some strange blown-glass sculpture, not at all convenient for anyone who's job was to fix pipes or adjust pressure. Up ahead was liquid, like water, he could hear it flowing, but it didn't smell like water. It smelled like the dumpster behind a cheap, shady butchery shop. There was that taste of copper again, present in human blood. Zim licked the mist off his lips and winced. It wasn't that nice smooth yet sharp flavor he remembered from earlier... from Dib's neck...

No, don't, he shouldn't think about that, but he did need a distraction to keep from concentrating on his burningly over-stressed flesh and ready-to-snap ankle bones in his right foot.

Up ahead the tunnel branched into a much larger one, a sewer tunnel, with parallel sidewalks along both sides, so their current path would open onto one of the walks, and a river of thick, dark liquid running down the center, separating said walks.

It was too dark for Dib to see, but he was close enough for his nose to pick up on the smells currently overwhelming Zim and he stiffened, making a worried noise.

Zim didn't dare stop running.

Loss of his momentum could mean death.

The alien raced around the corner, flinching at the movement required to turn as he landed poorly on his bad ankle. He went into the larger tunnel, forcing himself along the sidewalk beside the rushing, syrup-thick river of... something along the lines of human-sacrifice-leftovers.

Up ahead this sidewalk dead-ended in the form of a rickety fence, and just before it, a ladder, leading up twenty to thirty feet, to a closed manhole cover. Looked good enough to Zim. The irken didn't slow, leaping and grabbing a hold of the rungs, immediately working his previous speed to help him upwards before he could faint, or gather common sense and stop himself from attempting this.

Climbing up a ladder was not the same as running. It was worse, and worse yet because he had someone on his back. Gravity was like a snarling dog with its jaws clamped down on him, tearing and tugging him back down towards the ground, working against where Zim was willing himself to get to.

He couldn't do it.

Don't think that, don't you dare!

He'd worked so, so hard already, ran so far, CARRYING someone. Even though Dib was light from starvation it was HARD. He'd been going and going and going since he'd first gotten to this dimension. No rest.

He couldn't go further. He'd reached the end of his rope.

Don't!

They were twenty feet up now. The irken was gasping wretchedly, limbs trembling. He couldn't stop, couldn't fall, had to keep moving, but couldn't keep moving, he was slowing down.

He could do this! He was an invader!

Aware of the irken's struggle, Dib whimpered softly and held on tighter, shaking full-bodily. With Zim's arm's no longer held back supporting him, he had to hang on or fall. He couldn't keep his grip on his emerald-skinned guardian angel. He was straining himself.

But Zim was beyond straining himself.

Zim stretched a hand up to grab the next ladder rung, but his footing slipped.

Yelping, alien cardiac muscle pounding harder then it was supposed to, the irken managed to catch himself a place or two down, only to find himself going faint, slipping back. He'd known he couldn't stop at any cost, and now he'd stopped. No more momentum. He'd fallen back.

It was so hard, to hang on, and not fall. The idea of reaching up and trying to continue forward was beyond his ability to even think.

This wasn't going to work.

He needed some solution. They were close now. About one more body length. But he was slipping.

The spider legs shot out, two launching off the man-hole cover overhead, the other two hooking over the ladder at Zim's chest level to pull him up with. Through the now open hole to the surface, a smooth, cool rush of air poured down against the invader's face, and Zim hoisted himself up, groaning as he did so. Even using the spider legs took energy away from his over-spent limbs. He was beyond tired. By now everything was hurting and he couldn't think right. His head pounded.

They were in the middle of a dark city street when they emerged from the sewer, but the alien barely even bothered looking around to see if they'd been noticed by any nightmares near by. It was the very most he could do to move his arms back to support Dib against him again, and stumble towards what he could see was a small store. Glass windows, shelves, back counter, cash-register. Looked good.

Weakly, floppily, Zim pushed the door open; it was unlocked, and the whole place looked deserted. The store front windows were boarded up or broken, and the store smelled only of dust and age and forgotten objects of all different kinds. Sort-of-safety. Thank God.

Rest. Needed... Just... Rest... Just a little...

Zim stumbled behind the safety of the shop-counter across a way and perpendicular to the store front with an unobstructed view to the door, and simply fell over. He was unconscious before he even hit the floor.

~•~

Dib squeaked, startled as his carrier suddenly dropped like a stone, and he hit the floor with Zim, wincing before scrambling back in horror, not knowing what was wrong, but able to see that Zim was down and out, which left him all alone and unprotected.

He was terrified.

"Zim?!"

He just sat there, hyperventilating, eyes bugging out, before somehow managing to get just a little more under control. He swiveled his head to look around, arms moving up to hug himself, able to at least gather comfort that there were no monsters here to hurt him or his new friend Zim.

But the alien had fallen and he wasn't getting up.

Oh please, PLEASE, PLEEEAAASSE! He couldn't be- DEAD? Not Zim! Zim was so nice to him. He liked Zim! Zim was nice. Zim was good! Zim couldn't die!

"Z-Zim?"

Shakily, and even more so as salty water tears began to stream from his eyes, the boy crawled forward, not daring to stand and make himself visible over the countertop they sheltered behind.

The invader was breathing. Dib sighed long and heavy in relief. Maybe he was just sleeping? He was probably exhausted...

Zim had done a LOT for him. Zim was very nice. Dib liked Zim. Dib smiled down at Zim.

It was dark in here. A little light from the tiny glowing 'moon' came in through through the store windows, but it wasn't much. Dib was glad this was a very small store, but it was still too big for his taste.

Zim's eyes had offered some glorious red light, but they were closed now.

Dib didn't like the darkness, and he hated being alone. He wondered, without the sanity to know how weird this was, if he could hold Zim's eyelids open for a source of sweet light.

...

The dark morbidity of the place was working a slow poison into Dib's soul.

...

Could he take one of Zim's glowing red eye's out of its socket, and carry it with him, or would that hurt Zim? He didn't want to hurt Zim, but he wanted the light... He wanted it so badly. And he liked Zim. He liked being in contact with him. Carrying one of his eyes would be carrying a part of Zim. And those ruby orbs were so wordlessly beautiful. He thought he'd like one.

Dib cocked his head, his own eyes intense with lack of order and sanity, as he watched Zim sleep, one hand moving up to his mouth as he nervously chewed on his fingernails.

He wanted more and more to be in contact with Zim, as seconds ticked by.

It was cold here. He could hear far off noises that made him jump and scramble away, panting, with his eyes wide, hugging himself and rocking until the noises ceased. He knew they were looking for him, to drag him away.

He wanted Zim's touch and warmth. Zim was nice. His smell was sweet, thick, new, unoffensive, and made Dib think of protection. His skin was smooth and silky soft, yet hairless. His clothes were full of his scent, and soft like his skin, colored red like those huge, inhumanly gorgeous eyes. And his body was firm and warm when Dib pressed in for comfort.

Pulling his legs up to his chest, Dib laid down next to Zim, squirming forward on the frozen stone floor until they were just barely touching foreheads, and whimpered softly, wanting the other to finish his nap.

After several minutes passed and Zim hadn't woken up, Dib had pressed himself completely against the irken, hugging tight, having nudged his face up into the other's neck, needing the comfort and warmth produced by the closeness of the other body.

His trench coat was gone and his T-shirt was shredded from monster's claws, jagged edges, and whatever else. The air was chilly. He was shaking badly from so many things right now- cold, fear, instability... Maybe hunger too. Did people get shaky from hunger? He thought so but he couldn't remember for sure... Wait. This looked like an abandoned store right? Maybe there was some food!

The surprisingly intelligent thought was enough to pull Dib away from Zim to at least sit up and look around, hands still gripping fistfuls of his savior's clothes, wondering if anything tasty was within reach.

Trying to collect his thoughts was hard, but he had to try.

Alright so...

The electricity in this place seemed down, which meant nothing could be refrigerated. How long had this place been abandoned? How long would the food keep? Would everything be bad by now? And if there was food what would it be? Bloody organs infested with grubs?

Regardless of all that, Dib still had to look. Instincts said he'd die if he didn't get food. He didn't want to die.

There was nothing directly around them that could possibly count as edible, but to his right, around the edge of the counter and a small distance away, there was a shelf with what looked like cans, here stacked and there laid randomly all over it.

Dib could have seen what the cans were if he'd had his glasses. As it was, the pictures were just a little too blurry.

To go get those cans would mean walking out from behind the counter, and away from Zim. Charging out of safety into unsure darkness a couple yards away. No. He was starving, but he could wait a little longer for Zim to wake up. The risks weren't worth it.

So Dib laid back down, sliding his arms around the sleeping alien's waist and pressing in close again, shivering in the cold air against the warmer body, his hairs standing on end as chills shocked down his spine over and over. He was cold, however he smiled when Zim grunted and tried to curl up around him. This felt nice. It was nice to wait and rest like this... So nice... So nice.

Zim was wonderful. Zim was perfect. Zim smelled like green apple candy.

And Dib just felt tired...

~•~

For the second time within twenty four hours, Zim had to drag himself to consciousness.

It was a painful, annoying process, filled with disembodied half thoughts, that he knew were incomplete, and somehow that knowledge was giving him a sick stomach and a dizzy skull.

Pine green eyelids squeezed tighter shut before opening a crack, unwilling and dazedly.

Pain fired through his nerves and Zim groaned loudly, flinching and shutting his eyes again.

His whole body hurt, especially his limbs, and his ankle... He couldn't even FEEL or move his ankle. His pak had released an emergency store of it's remaining medical chemicals to make sure of that. His shoulder... His legs... His muscles in general, all were killing him... Oh tallest it ached. How long had he ran, carrying Dib, underground, through the maze of tunnels beyond the cage they'd found each other in, running hard and fast with desperation? Doubtlessly over an hour. Ohhhh it hurt. It bit, it pulsed, it ached, it throbbed. Everywhere.

A form against him, unnoticed until now somehow, shifted and Zim jumpily opened his eyes again to see a worried, wide-eyed Dib, nestled against him and hugging tight, head lifted for eye-contact. The alien couldn't hold back a smile, and a little white lie slipped out easily;

"Zim is fine.

Are, eh, Are you okay Dib?"

Dib nodded wordlessly, expression displaying relief at the other's words saying that he was okay. Then the earthling looked down at his own midsection and bit his lip, before looking quite pointedly at the canned food, a hand moving up to clutch his urgently complaining stomach that had started growling at him.

Zim frowned. Dib was barely any more 'okay' then he was. The poor boy was frighteningly undernourished, bones showing, stomach and cheeks sunken, eyes dull.

Zim paused, as Dib looked hopefully between Zim and the food a little ways away in the darkness of the store.

Finally Zim sighed and glared away, feeling ashamed and incompetent as he was forced to admit;

"Zim can't get up right now, and... Needs to heal... Some more."

Dib looked over very worried again, leaning closer over Zim, wondering if he had any concerning, open wounds he hadn't noticed before.

"It's just from... Tired-ness, Zim thinks. It hurts, but it'll heal fast. Because I am Zim."

Relatively fast.

It would still take valuable time.

They needed to get out before they were found.

Lifting and twitching his antenna, Zim turned his head as much as was comfortable to look around.

"There is no one very close that Zim can smell..."

Did he dare risk allowing the human to go grab those cans of food? It would be his fault if the earthling got pounced by some beast, and he needed to protect him, but Dib needed food, and it wasn't far. There was bottled water there too that Zim could see. How long had it been since Dib had gotten a drink in this dimension? He hadn't spoken much, but when he had, it had been with a scratchy voice that sounded painful, and he never employed much volume.

What would they do, if something broke in and found them before Dib could be fed? Where else would they find food and clean water?

"Do you... Want to go get some of those cans? And the water?"

Dib was about to vigorously shake his head no, but stopped. There was water there too? His throat felt cracked and torn and dry like a piece of fragile paper.

He needed it.

He needed Zim.

Needed food. Needed water.

Needed Zim.

He was scared.

Dib looked at the alien and whimpered.

Making a face of apology, Zim managed to lift a pained arm to place on Dib's shoulder. Just to make sure, he twitched his antenna, and concentrated hard, until he could look Dib in the eye, and say assuredly;

"There's nothing here but us."

He could smell no other life signals. No hormones at all but his and Dibs. No other organic bodies giving off heat.

Dib stared longingly at the cans that suddenly seemed so far away. If only they were closer. The reached out and pawed at the air in frustration. Zim felt a little sick with near motherly concern at such a disoriented act.

"Don't be afraid Dib-ling. If you see anything you don't like you can come back to Zim, and we'll just wait until I can get it with you."

Clawed hand sliding from Dib's shoulder to his shirt collar, Zim smiled almost mischievously as he pulled gently. Obeying the tugging gesture, Dib leaned in, cheeks going red at the proximity of their faces, eyes wide and looking slightly confused.

Zim lifted his head, ignoring the muscular pain long enough to offer Dib one of the human's own species' signs of affection, and quickly press their lips together, before letting his head fall back against the floor.

Then he relaxed to rest again, smile faded from intentful to gentle. Dib stared, mouth slightly open with how startled he was. Zim kissed him. That beautiful creature just kissed him. A shockwave of tingly, nervous, happiness, speared right through his heart.

Dib looked away, trying to hide his joyful smile- he didn't want anyone to see his joy, because they usually tried to snuff it out. He wanted to keep this all to himself.

Zim made him happy. Dib liked being happy. But usually he felt very sad and empty. Feeling happy was a very special thing indeed.

Zim made him happy.

...

Zim did so much for him.

...

He loved Zim.

And...

He was going to go get some food for him and Zim.

Decidedly, he looked one last time between Zim, and those cans just paces out of reach, and pulled himself slowly to his feet. He could do this. For Zim.

As Dib peered over the counter, remaining half crouched like a tight spring ready to leap, almost trembling, Zim refrained from telling him to be careful. Dib doubtlessly already knew that. The alien's antenna twitched. He couldn't pick up the faintest hint of a life signal besides his and Dib's. All the same, he was worried. If anything happened, in his state, he wasn't sure he could save Dib. That made him almost as afraid as the earthling himself, currently assigned the dangerous mission.

While Zim internally argued about whether or not this was safe, Dib finally stepped out from behind the counter, apparently satisfied with the level of safety. His eyes were wild, heart thumping, breathing fast.

It was so quiet here.

So dark, just enough wilted remnants of light were present to cast haunting shadows.

The cans were so close. Dib looked around quickly. This would be easy. Just get food and water, and come back.

...

Now! Go!

Holding his breath, he ran on tip-toes to the shelf between him and the shelf with his objective, and glanced around.

Nothing. Safe. Food. Water. There. Nearly within reach. Still nothing he could see to worry about.

Dib looked back at Zim with a wide, triumphant, 'I did it!' smile, and the irken smiled back, looking proud of him. The earthling's heart swelled when he saw Zim directing that look at him.

With that he turned and walked in to get what he wanted.

The first few cans he picked up with extreme care, his only thought was to be as quiet as possible, but after a minute or two went without a problem, his caution shrunk minutely, and he sacrificed some silence in exchange for speed. He just wanted to get his stuff and go back to Zim.

The irken began to fret the moment Dib was out of sight, and was continually twitching his antennas to search for Dib's scent, and any forewarning of enemies. His spooch felt fluttery and sick, but he tried to enforce some confidence in his human. Refraining himself from calling out and attracting attention, the alien craned his neck back trying to see further into the aisle a few yards away.

The longer Dib was out of his sight here, even if it was under a minute, the more anxious he grew.

Able to put some planning and thought into what he was doing now, Dib held the front edge of his shirt up, placing more cans and water bottles then he could otherwise carry, into the 'pouch' of his shirt thus created. He was feeling a tid bit more secure in his current mission of scrounging, though more aware of his hunger, and one, two, three times, he mentally scolded himself for almost starting to hum some nerve calming little song. He didn't want to make too much noise.

There, that looked like about all they could possibly eat and drink for now, or carry with them. Now, to get back to Zim!

Giving one last look around, for good measure, Dib suddenly squinted at a can further in the corner of a shelf, that had caught his attention with its size. That one can, half hidden in a stack of other cans; some of which had very odd shapes; was nearly the size of the earthling's head.

'Huh. It must have a lot of food in it.' Was what Dib was thinking as he walked over to grab it, leaning down and reaching towards it.

Light bulbish red eyes snapped open and it shrieked without a mouth to do so.

Dib's heart exploded in his chest. He screamed along with the being in front of him. All the gathered cans dropped noisily to the floor. Turning on his heel, Dib bolted like a mad rabbit to dive behind the counter, and fall into the relative safety of the still limp alien, trembling and whimpering as he hid his face; like a child who felt the monsters he imagined, couldn't hurt him in his warm bed with the covers over his head. He was terrified, unable to think, just clutching Zim and babbling and whimpering and squirming, his ability for stable thought blinded.

Urgently but weakly, Zim had already sat up when he'd heard the screaming, supporting himself on his arms.

His cardiac muscle was thudding with Dib's, spider legs out as he snarled into the darkness like a mad dog. They couldn't get Dib without killing him first.

What had Dib seen? What screeched like that? He still couldn't smell anything here! There was no hormonal life scent!

Seconds of fear, heavy breathing, and otherwise silence passed slowly.

Then, around the corner of the aisle Dib had been in, a shape Zim recognized peered at them, and the invader gasped in confusion over how to react.

A taller, thinner, angular, lanky, and more battle-ready looking version of Gir, walked up to the two cautiously, and held out one of Dib's dropped cans, cocking his dented head in friendly curiosity.


	15. It's Right Behind You

**Oh my... Sorry this took so very long to update.**

**I don't have much to say at the moment other then to apologize for rarely finding writing time for my own projects anymore.**

**As usual, thank you all SO MUCH for the loving reviews, and any constructive criticism. It means a lot to me. ^^**

**Read and review please! Enjoy!~**

**\\:\\**

After a long silence, Zim finally, hesitantly spoke up.

"Gir?"

It was.

At least, it was nightmare-Gir.

But was that a good sign, or a bad one? Could anything here be trusted? This could be no more then a disguised curse that could spell death or insanity...

When the robot simply dropped the can he was holding to perform a salute, Zim found himself relaxing; almost smiling. Yes, this seemed like a good sign.

They had help! An ally was here! At least it seemed that way. This was almost TOO nice of a turn in fortune.

Dib however, was still... not exactly paying enough attention to rejoice with his alien protector. He was still clinging to Zim, trembling as if ready to go into a horrendous seizure from simple terror. He'd been minding his own business and then something had leapt up I his path screeching like a tormented soul, enormous, emotionless red eyes fixed on his. He was already unstable. That could have traumatized anyone!

Only with Dib, was Zim so patient, and he himself hadn't even realized it yet.

"It's alright human, Gir is a freind."

The Irken treated Dib practically like he was his own smeet. The sympathy he displayed towards the earthling, the undemanding kindness, it was ridiculous, and would be seen as disturbing by any normal Irken. What strange instincts had Dib triggered? And Zim was hardly even realizing it!

The invader tried to pet his Dib, who'd buried his face in his neck. The clawed hands offered comforting back rubs and petting to the human's hair, and Dib whined softly but began to slow his panicked breathing rate.

Zim couldn't allow Dib to be in this state. If his imaginary world was built on fear and anger and pain and sadness, then drowning Dib in those feelings really wasn't going to help them get out any time soon. They needed to find a way out.

Very slowly, Dib began to more fully relax. The gentle talons against his scalp and combing through his hair felt VERY nice... He did not look up though, fear still impairing his logic and keeping him from seeing any reason to analyze his surroundings. In his mind he was still waiting to hear sounds of fighting when the thing-that-had-screamed attacked.

The more angular, thinned and stretched looking Gir, watched with red eyes and no signs of intelligent feeling. Little movement. Cold.

He appeared to be simply awaiting orders.

Even if this android looked like it would be a lot more help in a fight... Zim found he still liked his Gir better. His Gir tried to offer emotional support, and a small green puppy would doubtlessly be better for Dib's mental health right now then... This... Piece of machinery.

The alien didn't dwell on that for too long though. He was just boundlessly grateful that they would have help now. He'd take what he could get, and time was a-wasting. The alien quickly put Gir to work.

"Fetch us the things my Dib-pet dropped back there. The foodenings... And... Such."

Zim emphasized his words with some vague hand gestures as was habit for him.

Flashing his eyes a brighter red for a second, Gir obediently zipped off, and Zim heard sounds of the cans bumping together as they were collected. He smiled. Yes. This was most definitely a turn for the better.

"We will be alright Dib. Calm down."

The future tense there was key though. Sitting up was causing Zim less pain after this long wait... But he still couldnt do it without help from his spider legs supporting him.

The two of them, human and alien, WOULD be alright if Zim was given enough time to heal. His muscles were still quite torn.

But they were being hunted. They couldn't have much time left. Sooner or later something would track them down to this very shop and they'd be trapped and captured, or worse. They were losing the distance between them, any head-start they might have gained, and they probably wouldn't get it back.

Morbidly, Zim was surprised they hadn't been found already. Leaning around the corner of the check-out counter shielding them, Zim looked across the dark store to the cracked and broken windows. The wind whistled softly and the night shadows were always shifting in green glow of not-moonlight, but Zim still sensed no organic beings.

However as Gir had proven, that might not mean they were alone.

The little android returned with the cans and water bottles in both his arms and stuffed in his head-container, just as Dib was calming down enough to lift his head and look up at Zim, expression signifying confusion at the fact that everything was alright. Zim offered him a slightly forced smile, but Dib didnt return it right now, instead turning his head to look around nervously.

He jolted with a sharp gasp at seeing Gir, pressing himself as close as he could to Zim and almost pushing the alien backwards in fright, whimpering out some non-sensical insistence like begging.

"Ack! Shush! Dib-human! Shush!" The invader hugged his human tighter and raised a hand to pet through his hair yet again, finally looking a bit annoyed at Dib's insanity, but again, the petting calmed the boy down.

Gir held out several cans and water bottles and Zim took one can, and set it down next to him to open in a minute, then took a water bottle, and opened it now, carefully. His hands shook slightly, and he winced at the thought of spilling any of that death-liquid on himself when he was already still pulsating with achy hurt.

"Here Dib, you need to drink this."

Dib just stared at the bottle for a few seconds.

... What was Zim handing him? Why? Oh! Oh right! Thirsty, and hungry. VERY. It was so bad it hurt. But usually if he consumed anything here it's effects on him were something from a horror story. The food might even eat him from the inside out.

He didn't trust anything here- except for Zim. And Zim was the one giving him the water... That meant it was safe right?

He would trust anything Zim told him... Zim was perfect. Zim was amazing. Zim cared about him! Zim was a... A space angel! From space-heaven!

He adored Zim. He couldn't upset Zim.

So cautiously, he reached up and took the open, plastic bottle, sitting up more on Zim's lap.

His hands shook worse then those of his still tired protector, and Zim made a face and flinched as Dib almost spilled water on him.

The earthling lifted the container to his mouth and took a cautious sip. Amazingly, it did not hurt him; as if simply by being touched by Zim, the beverage had been cleansed of all evil.

That sip was all that was required it seemed, to assure Dib that the water was good. Better then good. Immediately after that he began chugging it as if his life depended on it... Which it very well might have.

Oh yes! Sweet, cool, life sustaining water! It felt so good on his dried up throat. The action of swallowing hurt but he found he literally couldn't stop himself. He gulped down the entire bottle in under a minute, then stared at it sadly once it was empty, his unstable hands unintentionally shaking it.

Zim was both mildly amused but also concerned by Dib's show of desperation. It was kind of cute in some strange way, but at the same time, when Dib looked to Zim with a begging expression; big, wide, auburn eyes seeming to portray the human would keel over and die if Zim refused to give him more water, the Irken felt as if he'd been hit right in the heart. The figurative heart humans were always talking about that was their center of emotion and feelings and intuitions anyway.

Gir was arranging the bottles and cans in neat organization beside them, all standing upright, as if placing them was like some sort of game for the robot; Zim noticed there was at least one object that didn't belong in each pile. Zim smiled when he saw that. Perhaps nightmare-Gir still had some Gir-ness in him. That simple knowledge relaxed him somehow.

Zim gave in to Dib's begging face and offered him another bottle of water, but didn't hand it over without a warning.

"Dont drink too much or you'll be sick, we have soup to eat here too!"

Reaching for one of the cans, Zim picked it up and used his spider legs to start cutting off the lid while Dib gulped down the second allowance of water. It took some trying; his spider legs certainly weren't made for such precise, controlled actions, but eventually Zim got at least a good sized hole in the top of the can. They could pour the soup out through that into their mouths, or better, into properly civilized bowls.

"Gir! Find us two, clean bowls for eating. If there are any in the store..."

The android had zipped off before the irken had even finished talking, and now Dib had just finished his second bottle of water and was giving him that begging look again.

"No more water or you'll be ill Diblet!"

The alien scolded. Dib looked like he'd just been condemned to death and whimpered desperately, pressing forward to forcibly nuzzle his face into Zim's chest, hands clutching the sides of the red uniform as he made a series of very plaintive noises.

What on earth Dib was trying to communicate with this display, Zim wasn't sure, but it almost knocked him backwards until he got his balance more secure. The alien growled softly. He was still supporting himself with the spider legs, but by now he was aware of his strength returning.

Good. Soon they would leave this store and find a way out of Dib's head. Zim would fix it from the outside. It was too dangerous in here. It was no good for Dib's health for him to be here so... Physically. At this rate they could both wind up dead.

Sighing, he hugged the human close for a moment, and again, such affection from him seemed to calm the earthling... And Zim felt some sort of return wave of comfort. Well, that was certainly appreciated. This affection stuff could certainly be pleasant.

Dib had stopped whining and squirming to press closer into his alien savior, and was just laying still pretty much on top of Zim by the time Gir returned with two bowls.

It wasn't until the Irken had set the bowls next to him that he suddenly wondered if he could even eat the soup. He looked at the can to see what it was, and Dib looked up sadly to see why Zim wasn't hugging and cuddling with him anymore. Had he done something wrong? How could he have though? He hadn't done ANYTHING- OH! Soup! Zim had soup!

Chicken noodle. The picture was faded and torn but the colors and letters were still comprehensible. Dib lit up instantly, mouth watering, and Zim looked like he wanted to puke. Gir; his Gir; had prepared this for him once, and he'd thought it was one of the most rancid things he'd ever eaten.

However Dib was already grabbing at the can, trying to take it from Zim greedily since the alien wasn't doing anything with it. Instinct drove him to it. He NEEDED food.

"Alright! Alright! Calm down earth-monkey!" Zim scolded and Dib hesitantly stopped his desperate attempts to snatch the meal.

Fine. At least Dib could eat it. He was the starving one anyway. Zim could use something too, but Dib, in this dimension, hadn't eaten anything in who knew how long.

Zim poured the soup into one of the bowls, then handed that to Dib. He didn't want his charge cutting himself on the can after all.

Dib snatched up the bowl and almost spilled half of it in his eagerness to wolf it all down. It was cold, and the tiny amount of fat in the particular kind of soup almost made it a little slimy, but the poor human didn't notice. Hunger turned it into a delicacy.

Zim flinched and grumbled when any of it spilled, though none got on him thankfully. Curses, he should have asked his robot for spoons, not that Dib would have the mental capacity to use them anyway... But still..

Gir currently stood at attention a few feet away, but Zim could think of no orders for him just yet. He just watched Dib eat the soup, and eventually got frustrated enough to hold the bowl for Dib to drink from, so less of the precious food was spilled and dirtied the earthling's clothes. Dib held no complaint to basically letting Zim feed him, and went right along. Since his hands were no longer holding the bowl he could use them to cling to Zim again! Bonus!

Mmmmm, wonderful nourishment! Food and water! Dib felt so, so much better. At last his stomach was full. With the bowl now empty, he wiped his mouth off on his sleeve, and smiled at Zim with most adorable sincerity before again cuddling into and hugging the green one, making a sweet humming noise of contentment. While Zim hugged him back and patted him, the Irken was far less content then Dib. Zim could use some fuel too, and he was getting anxious. They really couldn't afford to stay still here much longer. He knew they were being hunted. He could just FEEL it now.

He told Gir to search the shop for cookies, crackers, or chips; something he could eat, and as the robot ran off on his orders, the alien let himself lay down on his side, just holding Dib and relaxing, just focusing on healing.

Dib seemed to approve greatly of the cuddles, if more of his murmured, pleasant, nonsense noises were any clue. He pressed his face into the alien's chest again, breathing warm against the barely protected ribcage. He tightened his arms around the skinny Irken waist, and even wrapped a leg over Zim's he nuzzled his way up so the alien's chin rested atop his head in his messy hair. With a sigh, Zim found himself combing his claws through the fuzzy mess of head-fur again. Something about was simply so calming...

Never before had Zim allowed anyone this much physical attention. Not even his-world-Gir required so much hugging. Why did it seem so natural? Was Dib perhaps triggering pak-repressed parental instincts in Zim? Other instincts perhaps? ... Did irkens have any instincts? They were such a far advanced, superior race after all...

Zim laid there, continuing to groom the hair of the young male he still considered practically a smeet, as Dib just clung to him like a parasite.

Eventually Gir came back empty handed. No unspoiled crackers, cookies, or chips to be found. Zim cursed quietly. It would take even longer for him to heal without food. But fine. Be that as it may. At least if they were ambushed now, Gir could hold the attackers off for at least a little while. Zim would just have to take his time resting and regaining his strength for right now.

\\:\\

Fifteen more minutes passed. Zim would have liked more time, but they didn't have it, he knew. It might be a matter of just a few more minutes until something came after them. He was surprised nothing had tracked down and jumped out at them already. As far as the battle-hardened invader was concerned, he could now walk without pain. The majority of his exhaustion and injuries had healed via his natural Irken abilities. He'd want to take it easy, but they needed to get moving. To where, he didn't know, but they'd find something sooner or later. They needed a way out. What was the best way to do that?

It was hard to push Dib off when the human was clinging to him so sleepily; earthlings needed more rest to recuperate then irkens did, and Dib had grown drowsy by the time Zim was waking.

As the irken expected, the human whimpered and tried to cling tighter when Zim squirmed out of his hug. They'd laid nestled up together on the hard, cold floor for a while now. While the body heat of his charge was difficult to resist, Zim knew that both of their bodies could become stone cold and unmoving if their enemies caught them now; they could be killed. They NEEDED to move.

"It's time to go Diblet."

With a sore groan the boy sat up and rubbed his eyes, mumbling something Zim interpreted as either 'why?' or 'where?'

"We need to find a way out before anything terrible happens." Was the green one's response, as he looked through the soup cans one last time to ensure he hadn't passed over one that might possibly prove edible to him. He hadn't. There was no fuel here for him, But Dib could eat them, and he'd need to drink water. Who knew when they'd find more of such recourses for either of them? So Zim hurriedly grabbed a few cans and several water bottles, and began shoving them into his pak's storage.

Seeing what the irken was doing, and after a moment of difficult thought, Dib began searching his torn coat for pockets that might fit water bottles or cans, wanting to help.

It was then that Zim finally sensed a presence. The alien froze up like a terrified animal, staring blankly down, in the middle of picking up supplies, as his antennas twitched. Something big, something strangely familiar smelling, something furious; the scent was getting clearer as its owner was getting closer much, much too fast. It would be on them in a minute and Zim's still rather sore midsection tensed at the prospect of having to flee or fight.

Zim shoved a last water bottle into his pak, and stood up immediately. Dib was trying to fit a soup can down his sleeve alongside his arm when Zim grabbed his hand and pulled the earthling after him in a fitful rush. Dib squeaked and stumbled after the alien nervously, dropping the can.

"Gir! Come!"

Zim bolted for the entrance door as Dib stuttered out a complaint of confusion.

As soon as Zim reached the door, and stopped cold where he stood. His antennas shook at what he was sensing.

The knowledge hit him like a boulder with a sick feeling dropping into his spooch.

It was too late to leave this way now. Whatever he was sensing had advanced so fast that it was now right around a corner. They wouldn't even have time to run across the street for cover by the time it was upon them.

Cursing through his gritted teeth, Zim swung around and ran for the back of the store as fast as he could while still sore from earlier.

Gir followed along obediently and Dib whimpered, stumbling in his attempt to keep up, failing to understand what was happening.

The most they could hope to do now was hide. There was no escape...

Unless there was a back door.

At that thought, Zim turned sharply and ran past the shelves toward the only part of the shop he hadn't been able to see earlier. He passed the shelves and there, to his intense gratefulness, was a door saying 'employees only.' It led back to a storage area.

That would provide better hiding spots, maybe even a way out if they were particularly lucky.

There was a lock on the door. Zim swung out a spider leg and it broke easily with a tiny crack. Even that noise made Zim flinch and he grabbed the lock, not letting it fall and hit the floor. Even the tiniest noise might give them away. If their pursuer saw a broken lock on the floor, it would be a clear clue saying 'we went this way!'

Zim opened the door, and pulled Dib inside with him, ensuring Gir followed before closing the door after himself. He set the lock down on the floor as quietly as he could.

It was pitch dark. Zim's eyes adjusted to night vision more slowly then they would if he'd allow them to glow like normal, but Gir's eyes gave off the same sort of red light anyway; something that could easily betray their position to hidden enemies.

Dib whimpered loudly and clutched at Zim, hands fisting and unfisting on the invader's uniform.

Heart thumping wildly in his chest, the Irken could only shush him gently. Slowly, he began guiding his little group with him, in search of a hiding spot among the rows and rows of shelves here.

A moment later he heard shattering glass and a roaring snarl. Zim had to clam a hand fiercely over Dib's mouth to keep him from screaming.

Swiftly Gir reached into his head and pulled out a pair of torturous looking guns with jagged bits and knives sticking out, and he readied them. Even Dib found that action strangely comforting, and Zim certainly felt better upon seeing the weapons offering to protect them.

Their pursuer had broken the shop windows and was in there now. If it had tracked them this far it would be on them in a minute. Zim silently backed into a row of shelves that would hide them for at least a moment, but it wouldn't last more then that.

Silence ensued. If the nightmare was searching the shop it was doping so very, very quietly.

Zim waited, looking around desperately, trying to control his heavy breathing. They needed a way out! A better place to hide! Anything! Please!

Dib was in a panic. He was in pitch darkness with no clue what was happening. If his scent was anything to guess by, Zim would say his Dib was about to cry. He was shaking and clutching at the alien with a growing desperation. If his insanity progressed much further he'd be on the floor having a seizure in seconds...

Something prodded his leg and Zim jumped with a gasp, looking down only to see Gir poking him to get his attention, then pointing up.

Up. Up above them was a small window, a skylight. The glass was so dirty it had allowed in no light so Zim had missed it completely.

It was perfect. It would just fit them. Zim grabbed Dib and hugged him to his front tightly, pulling out his spider legs, and he began to climb the shelves, carrying Dib with him.

It was a horrible strain after his previous exercise, and Zim had to restrain several noises of pain, but it was nothing like the ladder he'd climbed to get out of the sewer. He could do this. It wasn't like he had a choice though.

Gir stayed down on the ground with his guns ready to provide cover fire to distract from master and his pet.

From the top of the shelf Zim reached up and grabbed the window, barely managing to slide it open without falling, spider legs braced carefully to hold him up as he pulled at the frame with one hand. The other arm clutched Dib to him, and the human clung to him tightly with both arms and legs, silenced by simple terror, shaking, gripping the invader so tightly Zim couldn't breathe yet he raised no objection as long as Dib was secured to him.

It creaked and cracked but the dirty glass gave in to Zim's force at last and moved, the greenish light spilling in.

As soon as there was room, Zim gripped Dib with both arms, pried the human's grip off him as quickly as he could, and tossed him up through the opening.

Dib yelped and flailed as he tumbled through onto the roof, and looked around in absolute terror.

Where was Zim? Why had Zim thrown him? WAS HE BEING ABANDONED?! WHY? WHAT HAD HE DONE?! WHATEVER IT WAS HE WAS SORRY AND-

Zim's head popped up through the hole a moment later as he hoisted himself up and Dib cried out in relief. Scrambling over, the human grabbed at the alien, trying to help pull him up, terrified anew at the thought of losing his only friend and protector.

Zim was up in a moment, and he looked back down.

"Gir!" He called in a hushed voice. "Come!"

The robot looked up, nodded affirmatively, and with a sharp blast of the rockets on his feet, he was up.

Zim began to close the window, leaving no trace of their escape. Dib was right behind him, practically climbing on top of the poor invader in his desperate need for reassuring physical contact, needing to press into his warmth in the chill air. Gir was still ready to cover for them, guns at the ready.

The window was half-way closed when the storage room's door was blown open harshly, an enormous shape leaping into the room with a yowl of rage. Zim reeled back, falling onto Dib, his breathing quickened.

The beast hadn't looked up that Zim had seen; hadn't noticed them, but it was right there underneath them. They had to move. The building beside this one was a hotel or one of those earth 'apartment' things from the look of it, the irken thought.

He could hear whole shelves being torn apart below them as the monster searched, metal screaming and tearing. Zim ground his teeth as the sound drove against his antennas, and Dib covered his ears securely.

As Zim tiptoed, guiding Dib to the edge of the roof to climb onto a tiny porch from one of the apartments that stuck out, almost touching the roof, Zim was stuck going over what he'd seen of the horrible creature in the dim light from the half-open window.

Red alien eyes and greenish skin on a huge, horrendously mutated form.

Even it's scent was familiar... More so then just simply being an irken scent...

But... But it couldn't be...


End file.
